Outlasting A World
by Foxinstrazt
Summary: Jackson is welcoming to Ellie and Joel, but danger is always on the horizon in this world. A new group of Survivors draw close to the town, a group with remarkable similarities, and startling differences. This is the story of how they come together, carving out a place for their lives in the ravaged remains of the United States.
1. Chapter 1 - Home

**Author's Notes: My first published story in a while, hoping to get some feedback on where I could improve as a writer. I'm usually not this motivated to write for content that I don't come up with but this game struck me in my core and would not let go until I did something, anything about it. The M rating is in place because in later chapters I plan for it to get darker. I don't own anything aside from characters I create within this story. Enjoy and let me know what you think. Update: Ended up rewriting it. I think I'm actually satisfied with this chapter now. It's formatting and such should be on par with the other chapters as well, enjoy!**

Chapter 1

Home

August – 2034 – Jackson, Wyoming

"You can't save her." I pull back a bit, but there is nowhere to go. "Even if you get her out of here, then what?" Marlene, that bitch, has her gun on me. Known Ellie since birth, still willing to sacrifice her. "How long before she's torn to pieces by a pack of clickers? That is, if she isn't raped and murdered first." It's all sound logic, I know it is.

"That ain't for you to decide."

"It's what she'd want." No. "And you know it." No!

I heft Ellie up slightly, glaring at the woman in front of me. She begins to raise her hands into the air. "Look.. You can still do the right thing here." She shakes her head. "She won't feel anything."

I look down at Ellie, at her face. The locks of rusty-brown hair, the freckles that lay on each cheek. I could just let her go. There would be a cure, that would be the end of it. It is the right thing to do, for mankind. Marlene approaches slowly, and all I can think about in that moment is Sarah, dying in my arms. I can't let another girl I love die in my arms.

A gunshot sounds out, and the woman drops to the floor, bleeding from the gut. Before I turn, I kick her gun away, moving quickly to one of the cars parked in the garage. I gently lay Ellie in the backseat, my breath coming quickly. My mind wants to analyze the choice I'm making, but I can't justify it. I push it to the back of my mind.

Tightening the grip on my pistol, I head back towards the woman. "Wait!" She gasps, lying in a pool of her own blood. "Let me go. Please" Her plea takes me back again, to when I said the same, lying on my back, looking down the barrel of a soldier's rifle.

"You'd just come after her." Another gunshot sounds, shattering the dream into fragments.

* * *

Joel's eyes shot open, his breath catching for a short moment. Every night the same story. The twilight hours of the world filled with a dream of what had happened, of what he had done. He slowly rose from the mattress he had been laying on, listening closely. Each quiet, even breath signaled that Ellie still slept, undisturbed by his own awakening.

The sun's first rays were just appearing over the treetops in the distance, peeking in through the dirty glass of the window. Tommy had given them a nice enough place to stay - a few rooms, modest furniture. Ellie hadn't been very talkative since Salt Lake, but she had quickly chirped about how she was going to have the room down the hall all to herself. The first night, she dragged her mattress in next to his and slept there. They didn't talk about it.

They didn't talk about a lot of things.

* * *

Ellie awoke to the sound of hooves stamping damp ground, as she often did these days. It was fairly early, judging by the light in the room. Joel's room. She looked over at his mattress, not surprised to see that he had gotten up before her, but it still shocked her a little bit more awake to find him not next to her. The seasons they had been together out in the wilderness, he had barely strayed from her side. He hadn't said anything about her moving herself into his room, and she continued to only keep the slim, old mattress in there, trying to give him as much space as she could without being afraid every night.

She had tried to sleep on her own. _I really did._ Ever since that winter in Colorado..she couldn't even fall asleep she had been so afraid. Joel made her feel safe, more than anything. Even though he lied about Salt Lake, his presence was still more comforting than anyone else she had ever known. More than the gun that lay just inside her reach from where she lay, more than the crumpled letter from her mom stashed in the backpack in her room.

_Yes, he had lied._ She knew, but she didn't know what to do about it, or what he had actually lied about. It was something she had forced to the back of her mind the last few weeks. Her mind drifted to it unwillingly, Ellie was pulled into the memory on the rise above Jackson.

"_Swear to me," She nearly trembles with the effort of forcing her words through her lips. She doesn't want to question him, but she can't stay quiet any longer. Her eyes lock with his, searching for the truth in them. "Swear to me that everything you said about the Fireflies is true."_

_Joel shifts slightly, his eyes narrowing just a tad as he looks at her. He takes a second too long to answer, and she knows. "I swear." He says it with confidence, but it is too late. She can tell that he is lying. Her eyes trail down to his old, worn boots before sliding over to look at the town below. She can almost make out the people wandering through it's streets, living a quiet, regular..almost normal life. A life she and Joel can have now, all she has to do is.._

"_Okay." _

She rose to a sitting position on the dirty mattress with a soft yawn, dressed in a faded camo shirt and torn jeans, arms covered by an undershirt, like always. Scratching idly at her right forearm, she shivered as fingers passed over the uneven skin of the scar. She rose to her feet and moved toward the doorway, a shadow becoming apparent, stretched across the ground. Her eyes followed it to it's owner, who stood at the larger room's window, looking out into the town.

Lost in thought, he did not notice her approach. For some reason, the older man looked even more worn out than when they had first arrived, the dark circles under his eyes giving him a much more haggard look. Ellie pushed back the urge to voice her concern, knowing that he would dismiss it anyway. Instead, she mumbled out a sleepy greeting. "Morning, Joel."

Sucking in a surprised breath, he turned, clearly have not heard the girl's approach. "Mornin', kiddo. Sleep well?" His played it off like he hadn't just been snuck up on.

"Eh, it's getting easier. Don't think I'll be used to sleeping longer than a couple hours for a long time. But hey, one step at a time." Ellie makes the effort to smile at him before sliding onto the ragged old couch placed against the wall, but it fades quickly as she innocuously returns his question, "How about you?" _There, let's see if he opens up to that._ Joel was funny that way, she had to work on the problem a few times before he'd even let her know what it was, and then she'd be able to help him through it.

The large man wandered over to the couch and sat down with a huff, leaning back while propping one leg on the other. Running a hand over his face, the seconds passed before an answer came. "Mm, having a hard time adjusting to being safe as well." _Well, it's some progress._ "We'll get the hang of it." Ellie nodded slowly, thinking it might have something to do with why he lied after Salt Lake, she chose to let it drop for now. Joel had the same idea, giving a heavy sigh before looking over. "Breakfast must be ready by now, you hungry?"

Before she could respond, a low rumble came from her stomach, drawing a raised eyebrow from the man next to her. With a sheepish smile that brought a small chuckle from him, she gave a nod. "Yeah."

As they left their house, Ellie got a good look at the surrounding town in the sunlight. She still was not used to the sight of whole houses, with windows that looked even slightly maintained. It was so different to her. Even their house was a big step away from how it had been in Boston. Five rooms on the ground floor, two upstairs. It was barely furnished, and some parts of it were falling apart. But it was a start. Joel was fixing it up, or doing what he could. Yesterday it had almost seemed like he might get the toilet working, but that was going to take a bit longer, he had said. She did her best to keep a look out for any furniture someone could part with, or wood that Joel could use to build some bed frames.

_A house, a sorta-working toilet, a community. _It was a strange contrast to the last year of sleeping on the ground and having basically only one other person with her. Drawing her from her thoughts, a few people said their greetings as the pair walked by. Their response was a few words from Joel, but Ellie couldn't bring herself to do much more than nod or wave. She felt like a stranger here, even after a month. That thought brought up yet another memory..

"_I'm still waiting for my turn."_

* * *

The smell of breakfast was a welcome thing for Joel. He had been up for a few hours, and probably could have gotten something to eat before now. Still, he didn't want to leave Ellie alone on the off chance she would wake up early. He had left the house one night when he couldn't sleep, just to find something, anything, to take his mind off of Utah. When he returned, he found her on the couch, pistol lying next to her. She didn't have to say anything, but he could see that she was worried. After all they had been through, she was worried about him in a place like this. He found that a little bit amusing, but had avoided repeating it. She didn't need any more stress. _Girl's had enough for a lifetime._

As they approached the restaurant that had been converted into the town's kitchen, the sounds of laughter and conversation greeted them. Inside they found a couple dozen people at the various booths, all talking to each other about this and that. Several of them greeted him and the girl, to which he gave a slight nod and a quiet greeting.

Sitting at the booth near the back, and already raising his hand to wave them over, was Tommy. He waited until they were closer before he spoke. "Mornin' brother. Ellie." Maria sat next to her husband, giving a wide smile to them before standing up.

"Hey Ellie, mind giving me a hand getting food for the boys?" She asked the girl.

"Morning Tommy..and sure." Ellie donned a small smile, as she usually did around Maria. There was just something about her, she took the load off your mind for a few moments. So she followed the older woman, thankful for those few precious moments.

As Joel slid down into the booth across from Tommy, his baby brother looked between him the girl he had arrived with, frowning slightly. "You ever planning on tellin' her? About Utah?"

He had explained what had happened to his brother, who had understood his decision, but still had been angry. More like furious, really. And why shouldn't he be? "Not yet..She doesn't need that right now. She's barely getting used to this place." Maria would have killed him had he been anyone but Tommy's brother, and she was scary when mad. She didn't yell or get red in the face, she just got a deadly look in her eye.

"She deserves to know, Joel."

"I know she does. But I'll handle the when and how, got it?"

Tommy sighed, looking at him for a moment before giving a short nod. "Alright, I'll leave that to you then. But if she is going to find out some day, it'll be best coming from you. You know that."

It was his turn to give a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I know it."

As Maria led her to the kitchen, she handed her two plates before taking two of her own. Ellie could barely contain voicing her hunger as the smells washed over her. It was hard not to love the fact that food that wasn't old was in good supply here, it was one of the many upsides about this place. Looking back towards the area where everyone was eating, she frowned. _I barely know any of their names yet. I should really get out more._

"Hey, Earth to Ellie. You want some bacon? I know Joel will, but do you?" Maria was talking to her, and once again she had been lost in her own little world. She hated the looks people gave her when she was zoned out. She didn't want their pity. Luckily, Maria was one of the most understanding people Ellie had ever met._ A friend, even._

"Um..bacon?" Tilting her head to the left, her ponytail slid down over her shoulder, bouncing lightly.

"You've never had bacon?"

The look of disbelief on the other woman's face was priceless, causing her to laugh lightly. "I'm just fucking with you, we had it a few times back in Boston. It was always pretty good. Where did you guys manage to get it?"

Maria gave a small laugh of her own, using the tongs to dish a few pieces of bacon onto both plates Ellie was holding. "We've got a pretty good sized pig population, and one of them reached a decent weight."

"Oh." Was all she said as she piled on some of the fruits and vegetables from baskets. As she reached for a few slices of bread to top off each plate, Maria spoke up again.

"So has Joel told you about the supply run Tommy's setting up?" Freezing with bread in her hand, Ellie took a few seconds to process this before looking over at the other.

"Supply run?"

"Yeah, they're planning to take a few of the men to one of the towns a couple miles away, look for supplies, hopefully bring back some deer meat." Beginning her way out of kitchen, the older woman chuckled. "Maybe you can convince him to let you tag along, if you are getting restless." She turned to push open the swinging doors with her back. "Or I could set you up with regular duties around here, if you stay."

Ellie understood what Maria was saying: Do something productive to get her mind off things. Pulling up both of the plates, she turned to follow. "Yeah..we'll see." _Why hasn't he told me he's leaving? Is he worried I can't take it? I have to talk to him later._ They were approaching the booth again, where Tommy looked up to thank his wife with a soft kiss on her cheek as she sat down. Joel took the plates from Ellie as she sat down, and she could have sworn he almost cracked a smile at the bacon.

"Thanks, Ellie."

"No problem."

Her to the point response bought her a look from Joel, but no words came as they began to eat. Mulling over Maria's remark about the supply run. Things had been strained since he lied to her, but Ellie had thought that he would still bring up something like him leaving. Especially when..

_When what?_ _When I can't last a single night without him in the room? When I worry constantly if he's alright even though he's only a few feet away most the time? Fuck, last winter just won't leave me alone. Fuck David._ The name, even in thought, sent an unpleasant shiver through her, significantly worse than the one from earlier. They never talked about that time, what had happened, how they saved each other. _Why wouldn't he tell me about the run? It's the lie._ She knew he had lied, and he knew that. It was a wall between them, slowly widening the gap that had closed in the previous year.

Lost in thought, she ate in silence, sometimes picking up Tommy and Joel's conversation about football and wanting to get a game together in the town. Not fully aware of it, she missed most of the details, but caught enough to smile faintly, just a slight tugging up on the corners of her mouth. Her eyes eventually wandered from her plate, examining the interesting building they had chosen as the place to gather. She had never really looked around Jackson, staying to their house on most days. When she and Joel came to eat, she was lost in either thought or quiet conversation with Maria.

Behind the really old looking wooden bar was the shattered glass remains of mirrors and alcohol. Some of the bottles looked relatively new and unbroken, probably brought in by hunting parties or by trading. The bar stools, those that remained, were saddles. _Life before the outbreak must have been really strange. _The walls were adorned in all sorts of things as well. From plaques to ancient wooden wheels, to guns that must have been broken since they were not looted. Dead animals were in here, too. Stuffed and mounted. There was even a bear, Ellie only recognized it because she had seen a picture in one of the books she used in school. It was huge, it's jaw locked in an open, fearsome expression._ Well, that's not unsettling at all._

As everyone began to filter out of the restaurant to tend to their regular duties, a couple people walked around gathering plates. Ellie was broke out of her study of the building when she was asked to hand off her's. Rising and walking a few feet before stretching, she gave a contented sigh as the joints in her back and shoulders popped. "Damn. That was good."

Joel chuckled. "Feels like years since I had bacon. Remind me to thank Nate and his family for raisin' the pigs."

"Hey, we're headin' over there now, to see if he's in." She assumed Tommy meant to see if the man was in for the football games.

"Ellie, give Maria a hand around town today, and don't go giving her trouble, alright?" She looked up at Joel, nodding with the best mischievous grin she could pull.

"Of course Joel, I'll be on my best behavior." He just shook his head, him and Tommy both thanking the people who had cooked breakfast before heading outside. Maria took a few moments of watching them leave before looking at Ellie.

"I've got a few jobs, but maybe we can do something fun on the side. I can teach you a bit about Jackson, if you're interested."

"Yeah, that sounds like fun." She let the older woman take the lead, exiting the restaurant into the bright sun. _It would be nice to do something besides sit around and think for a change, all thinking ever does is get me down and lead right back to obsessing over the lie._

Her guide's voice broke her out of her thoughts. "It's a beautiful day, especially for this time of the year." Maria walked straight across the street, towards the park that resided in the middle of town, before turning to walk down the sidewalk. People moved about, carrying various things here and there. It seems like the majority of work was going into building up the Southern wall, as Ellie could see a ton of people down that way.

Turning into the park, they passed under a arch made of antlers. "Whoa. This is cool. What is this place?" She raised a hand to block the sunlight from her eyes as she observed the arch.

"This is the Town Square..or more properly, the 'George Washington Memorial Park'. The antler arches were a pretty iconic thing for our town, though this is the only one still up. The rest kind of..fell apart. But not this one, my father swore he'd keep at least one up. I've kinda continued that since he passed."

She ran a hand over the antlers. "George Washington, he did something important, right? I think I remember something about him in school." After a moment of biting her cheek as she thought back, she answered. "First president, yeah?"

"Yeah, that's right." Maria chuckled before continuing on into the park.

Taking one last look up at the arch above her, Ellie followed, grinning now. "So fucking cool."

* * *

The day moved rather quickly, with Ellie struggling to keep up with the amount of names she had learned, having given up on learning the job certain people did. There was Ashley, the schoolteacher, who was in her early thirties. Her husband had died at the dam when she and Joel had first arrived, but she seemed to find happiness in her work. Several children attended the school daily, Maria said, at least five of them. All under the age of ten. The older woman had then promised there were more kids around her age.

Brad, one of the engineers she had seen at the power plant her first time through here, did his best to keep the electronics in the town running. He was old, older than Joel, and he was the one who ran the movie nights. Jacob, who was a year or so younger than Ellie, spent most of his days with Brad, learning how to fix things that she didn't think still existed in their world. She had to remember to give the old engineer her walkman, to see if he could fix it.

Nate and his two twenty-something sons, took care of the pigs and cattle. The old man even took care of the stables, and most the horses. Maria told her that his wife had died before the outbreak, but he had never complained about his workload, even with the addition of raising two boys on his own. People helped him, of course, but no one quite knew how to do the job as well as Nate and his boys. He lived up on the Northwest side of town. She said he had built up a nice place for all the animals in his corner of Jackson.

Judy, an older woman about Joel's age, was the town's closest thing to a doctor, having been a nurse before the outbreak. Ellie had talked to her once today, finding that she was well respected in the community. The house she used as a makeshift hospital, on the opposite side of the park from the restaurant, was as well stocked as it could be. Regular supply runs kept them at good levels of antibiotics and sometimes even pain medication.

It seemed everyone else split the duties that kept the town running. Everyone did laundry, everyone watched the perimeter, everyone took a day to cook a meal for the town, and everyone worked the fields. If the plant went down, then a group of them would head down to the dam to spend a few weeks there fixing it. Otherwise, they kept a skeleton crew running it. The only jobs that were strictly volunteer were hunting or supply runs, which was usually organized by Tommy and consisted of generally the same people.

Watch towers spaced all around the town kept a constant, vigilant lookout on their surroundings, with a makeshift wall thrown up to block access except through the gates. The real defense was the electric fence they had up, all thanks to the dam down the river, supplying the energy to keep most things at bay. It was impressive, Maria said her father had spent the better part of five years making sure that fence would work. He spent the last years of his life carving out a safe haven for his daughter and others. Ellie wished she could have met the man, he seemed like the good kind of person that was rare in this world.

There were a lot of people she still hadn't met, and as she leaned against one of the buildings rubbing her forehead, she wasn't sure if she wanted any more information to process. It had become quickly apparent that Maria was teaching her all the jobs she'd have to do regularly, from dishes to supply inventory. Inventory was turned into Jay, the old grizzled man in the wheelchair. She hadn't learned a lot about him, only that he had one leg and didn't like teenagers. By the time they had reached him, the sun had passed it's peak and was quickly climbing back down.

And yet, she still hadn't had a chance to get up in one of the towers and watch the fence. She had a sneaking suspicion that Maria was intentionally keeping her away from that job. _Probably Joel's idea, too._ It was the one she was best suited for. Little to no company, and requiring a good aim. _Sneaking suspicion? Yeah, I'm pretty much sure it was intentional_. Joel was trying to keep her away from guard duty, and hunting. Ellie gave a frustrated sigh, shaking her head. _Why? He knows I can handle myself._

"Hey Ellie, you ready to be done for the day?" Maria came walking up to her, a smile touching her lips before it faded away, noticing the younger girl's scowl. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just..looking for the words to say to Joel tonight. He's keeping me away from any of the dangerous jobs, isn't he?" Her voice was more hostile than she intended it to be, this had her really riled up.

"He just wants to protect you, is all. You..mean a lot to him."

"And he means a lot to me, that doesn't mean I stop him from taking guard duty or going hunting! It's bullshit."

"Well, talk to him. If anyone can convince him of anything, it's you." Maria looked away, as if her mind wandered suddenly. It was out of character, leaving Ellie wondering just what she was thinking.

"Talk to Joel..right. So now what. Dinner?"

"Hm? Yeah, dinner. Let's go." Maria wasn't the distracted type, she always had some focus, though two times were hardly enough to call it odd behavior.

Turning back towards the park, the two made their way toward the restaurant, and for the first time Ellie looked up as they entered. _A bar. It used to be a bar._ That was the only part of the sign left hanging above the entrance. _Something, something, cowboy bar._ As they passed through doors, they were greeted by the sounds of laughter and glasses clinking together. Joel and Tommy were leaning against the bar, with the latter's face scrunched up as he laughed. Joel was facing away, but he was making gestures with his arms, telling his brother a story.

Ellie scoffed, it usually took her a few days of begging to get him to tell a story, but here he was, telling Tommy and the group of people listening. She was beginning to feel anger bubble up before she realized what they were drinking. Someone had brought out the last of the alcohol, a few bottles that were always stocked behind the bar so that every few days the adults could have something to take their mind off the world. It was a strange tradition, but she thought it was necessary for their sanity.

Seeing how Joel was, she couldn't help but wish most nights were like this for him. His laugh, even quiet compared to the roar of the crowd listening to him, it made her day. It was a hearty, earnest laugh, that took over her world for a moment. It was the laugh of someone she loved, letting her know that he was happy, even if for an instant. The feeling was good. The best she had felt since she saw the giraffes in Salt Lake.

That felt like a lifetime ago.

Much later into the night, after it had turned over to the next day, Ellie guided a slightly drunk Joel back to their house. She hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. He had so many stories to tell, and each of them had their hilarious moments and their very cool moments, she had listened so intently that the need for sleep had gone unnoticed until much later. As she helped him through the door, he stumbled slightly, using the frame to get inside the house. She reached for him with a chuckle. "Want some help?"

"No, no, I got this.." He finally pushed off the wall he was using to keep himself up before almost jogging to the couch. Giving a loud sigh as he plopped down on the cushion, Ellie couldn't help herself but give another loud laugh at his antics before joining him.

"I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much in one day..tonight was fun."

Raising his hand to brush through his hair, Joel nodded a few times. "That is was, glad you enjoyed yourself kiddo."

"Maybe if you told stories more often."

"Heh, nice try."

"Had to" She takes a long look at his broken watch as she searches for what to say next, some way to confront him without ruining the night. "So..a supply run, huh?"

A heavy sigh came from the man next to her. "I was gonna tell you about it tomorrow."

"And..when does it leave?"

"Tomorrow."

Ellie stood up quickly, turning around to face him. Anger raged up into her chest in a moment's notice, and she knew it wasn't just because of the supply run. "Dammit Joel! I can help."

"Ellie. I don't want you out there."

"You, of all people, know that I can handle myself."

Joel, to his credit, sobered up pretty fast. He stood up quickly, raising his voice. "You shouldn't have to!" His face instantly lost all the anger it had a second ago, caught off guard by his own display of emotion. "You..shouldn't have to anymore. We aren't out in the wild..we have a home, Ellie." She couldn't even think of a witty comeback. This was pure, unfiltered honesty from Joel. He didn't omit anything, he didn't deflect. "I just want you to be safe."

"I know." She shook her head, her own emotions rearing up despite her efforts to keep them down. "I want you to be safe too, Joel, and I can watch your back better than anyone and.." Her voice began to crack. "I..I don't want to be alone. If I lost you..I don't think I could.." She raised her hands to wipe at her eyes when she was buried in Joel's arms.

"Oh, baby girl, I won't take any chances of that happenin'. I wouldn't leave you." _Baby girl. That sure as hell isn't helping the tears. _

"You can't promise that."

"I can do my best. And you know how good my best is out there."

She tried to laugh at that, because she did know, but all that came out was a gross, tear-soaked, strangled coughing noise. But Joel still gave a chuckle of his own, on one knee and holding a crying girl. _He has his flaws, but damn if he isn't the most amazing person I've ever met._

He released her, using a hand to wipe away some of her tears before tilting her chin up so her eyes met his. "I'll be careful, and you'll be fine. I talked to Maria..she'll let you stay at her place while Tommy and I are gone. I ain't gonna leave you alone."

Nodding slowly, she sniffed softly. "If I choose to stay here?"

"If you can handle it, nobody'll mind, I'm sure. But I want you to go to Maria's if you can't."

"I will..and you get back in one piece. Or I swear I'll hunt you down." _Dammit, I'm going to miss him._ She knew she had to try to get along without him always being here, it was naive to think that he would be able to stay every day. _They need him out there, he's the best at what he does._ Understanding it and fully accepting it were two very different things though.

With a wide, genuine grin, Joel ruffled her hair playfully. "I'm sure you will. Now off to bed, I'll wake you up before we leave tomorrow."

Ellie sniffed again, smiling and wrapping her arms around his neck once again to pull him into a hug. "Goodnight, Joel."

He returned the hug, and his voice was much less joking than before, his tone serious and almost sad. "Goodnight, baby girl." Releasing the girl, he gave her a gentle push towards the room. She walked to the edge of the mattress before collapsing down, pulling her pillow close. Consciousness held on until she heard the heavy sigh of Joel sliding down onto his mattress.


	2. Chapter 2 - Hunt

**Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry it took so long to update. I had a lot of content in this chapter so I actually split it into two. The good news is, the third chapter should be up shortly. As always, read and review. I'd love to hear from all of you. Update: Fixed a few errors and added a couple lines. Also put breaks in between a part I completely overlooked.**

Chapter 2

Hunt

August – 2034 – Jackson, Wyoming

"Ellie. Hey, kiddo. C'mon, get on up." She stirred at the sound of the familiar, gruff voice. It pulled her from dreams to bring her back on solid ground, her last foothold in this insane world. Then it hit her like a truck.

_He's leaving today. _

Even if it was for a few days, that fact made her shoot her eyes open and turn to face the older man. He was dressed in that old red plaid shirt, his backpack already swung over one shoulder. In it would be the rations he carried, his revolver, gas mask, and spare clothing. Always. Even though he seemed settled here, he was ready to leave in a moment's notice. How many times had he thought he'd found a home, only to have it ripped away from him?

A yawn stopped the young girl from speaking right away, but as soon as she could manage, she blurted out, "You're leaving already?"

Joel gave her a sad smile, nodding. "Tommy wants to head out early, cover the most distance possible today. He's hoping it'll be a month at most before we are back." _A month?_ She could almost feel her heart ache at his impending absence, even with him standing literally right in front of her.

"Don't go." It slipped out in her tired state, she didn't want to make this harder for him than it already was.

"Ellie..we talked about this." The plea had hurt him, she could see it written plainly in his eyes, and regretted it as soon as she had said it.

"I know, I'm sorry. Needed to say it." Scrambling up from her mattress, she practically jumped on him to wrap her arms about his waist and bury her head into his chest. He returned the embrace warmly, but held her gently, as one would hold a freshly picked flower to preserve the petals. Even now, in this loving embrace between the her and the closest thing she had to a parent, his lie lay at the back of her mind, tugging on the strings of doubt. His protective way with her always let those thoughts in, as if she was silently asking herself what this lie was protecting her against. _Do I even want to know?_

"Hey now, I'll miss you too, baby girl." He slowly let her go, and as she slipped her arms from his waist it was all she could do to not beg him to stay again. "C'mon, Tommy is expecting me." Ellie just nodded, walking with him to the door.

Stopping suddenly, she runs back towards the room, "Hey, hold up, need to grab something!"

Joel, waiting with his hand on the doorknob until she returned, watched her run into the their room and emerge with apparently nothing new. "Ellie?"

"Just forgot my gun, let's go." She hurriedly brushes past him and opens the door. "Come on, Tommy's waiting." The teenager nearly jogged ahead, leaving a confused Joel standing there before running to catch up, surprised by her sudden energy.

They moved toward the park, with Ellie staying close by his side in silence. She didn't know what to say to him that hadn't already been said, that it was going to be hard without him around. That she was going to try her hardest to stay alone for just one night. That's why she grabbed it from the room, his picture of Sarah that she had given to him in Salt Lake. Passing under the antler arch, they joined the group forming in the middle of the park. Tommy was saying a very intimate goodbye to Maria, and some of the townspeople were hugging the other two that were going with them. Heather was in her early thirties, and Ellie had only ever met her once. She was alright, a little to serious for Ellie's tastes. Then there was Montana, who looked to be in his twenties, she hadn't met him before. _These were the people that were going to watch Joel and Tommy's backs? Only two?_

Tommy pulled away from Maria, looking their way. "Joel, 'bout time."

"Kid held me up, couldn't leave without wakin' her."

"Mornin' Ellie, gonna miss us?" Tommy looked over at her, slinging his rifle over his shoulder.

Ellie smiled at Tommy, "You most of all, you know."

Joel chuckles quietly, "Looks like you finally won at somethin', baby brother."

"Let's leave them be, Tommy, let Ellie say bye." Maria winked at the younger girl, drawing a grateful smile from her. _Thank you, Maria._

Turning to face Joel, Ellie began running her hands together before reaching into her jacket. Producing the faded picture, she offered it to him with a sheepish look. "I think you should take this with you, it's something to hold on to out there."

His hand trembled ever so slightly as he reached for it, so quick that she barely saw it before he caught himself. "I..thanks Ellie." His voice was so even, he had to be making an effort to keep that as steady as he was keeping his hand. He reacted this way most the time he looked at the picture, and Ellie found herself just a little jealous._ Jealous. I can't believe myself. I've got the love of her closest friend, and hell, he might as well be my fa-_.. Catching her own train of thought and taking a breath, she got back to the moment at hand.

"And be careful out there, please." Her voice was pitiful, begging him to stay safe. She had always been afraid of being alone, but now there was a new fear: Being without Joel. She wouldn't be alone in Jackson, but the thought of facing this world without him was..it was unthinkable. _I don't think I'd survive if he didn't come back. That's a comforting thought as he's leaving.._

Placing the hand not holding the precious picture on her shoulder, he spoke softly. "I will be, baby girl. Now you stay out of trouble. And remember," Dropping his voice to a whisper so only she would hear, he added, "Maria is more than happy to set you up, if you want to stay with her." _Want? If I need to, you mean._

"I'll remember, don't worry about me." Joel nodded, the faintest smile on his face. He walked towards Tommy, and Maria came up to Ellie.

"You going to be alright without him around?"

"I'll manage, I guess."

"Y'know it's his birthday in a month, if you want to plan something."

Blinking, she looked up at the older woman. "His birthday?"

"He's turning fifty-one. Tommy told me. Just let me know."

_I've got to get him a present. _"Will do, thanks Maria."

The group climbed up onto their horses, heading for the gate. Ellie just stood helpless as Joel left, watching the metal slide down to hide her view of him. The only thing that kept her from tears were the other people in the park, she didn't want more of their pity. She just wanted to find something to occupy herself for the month, and fast.

* * *

Outside the gates by herself for the first time, she tugged on the bowstring carefully. Joel had left this for her in the house, the bow he had picked up all the way back in Lincoln. It had seen some use and was chipped in places, but it was still a sturdy enough weapon. There were arrows sticking from her small backpack, easily in place for her to grab quickly if she needed to. Her pistol was also stuffed into the back of her jeans, fully loaded with extra bullets in her pack, just in case.

The wind wasn't blowing hard, but it was enough to chill the woods around Jackson. Ellie was dressed in a light jacket and jeans that didn't have holes in them, surprisingly. Maria had patched them up a couple days ago, and it was nice to have more than one pair available. The jacket may have been white at some point, but it now had a uniform gray color to it, with one patch of a darker shade that gave her the uncomfortable feeling that the previous owner didn't have a happy day when they wore it. Underneath this jacket was her usual camo t-shirt and the black undershirt, back on the rotation even though they had yet to be washed. She didn't have enough clothes to change every day, but she made do.

She slung the bow over her back as she bounced in the saddle of one of Nate's horses he had been kind enough to let her borrow for the day. He didn't usually let people take one out alone, especially on something that wasn't exactly important, and she didn't know why he had let her. Chalking it up to her amazing ability to guilt people by looking like a downtrodden puppy, she accepted his gift happily.

Choosing not to follow any real trail, and just explore for a while, Ellie found herself lost in her thoughts and the forest. It was the solitude she wanted when Joel wasn't around. Most of the people in town were great, Maria was great, but she just felt like being alone today. It had only been a week since he had left, but already Joel's absence was starting to get to her. And not just when she tried to go to sleep, either. She hadn't lasted a night alone yet, but she had tried, really tried. Every night she ended up on the couch in Maria's living room. She didn't seem to mind, and she didn't poke fun. _She's a cool aunt._

Ellie blinked, speaking aloud. "Aunt?" It shouldn't sound so strange, seeing as she viewed Joel, Tommy, and Maria as family. But if she was Maria and Tommy's niece, then that would make her Joel's.. What was she to Joel? _A replacement for the daughter he lost? Just an imitation?_ She sighed wearily. Joel loved her, no doubt, but these thoughts always bubbled up from time to time. Like so many other thoughts, she had to push them away before they crippled her. She just couldn't ask Joel about these things. Instead, she focused on finding a balance between being what Joel needed, and not trying to replace Sarah in his heart. "Ha, like I could if I wanted." A statement she said weakly, but it stung more like the truth than she would ever admit.

It was nearing about an hour after noon, judging by the sun, as she came across a trail that led directly up and onto a ridge. Throwing the reins of her horse over a nearby tree to keep him there, she ran off and up the small, natural staircase. It ended in a rock that jutted out from the hillside, protruding above almost every other rise in the immediate area. Looking down at Jackson, she could see that she was higher than the day she and Joel arrived from Salt Lake.

The view was..breathtaking. Shining in the sun, the valley was an array of green leaves slowly turning red and yellow. Beneath her, the town stirred with life. There was Nate walking about feeding the pigs. There was Ashley with all the children, teaching them about Jackson's history in the middle of the park. The teenagers were moving in a group towards the restaurant. She still hadn't really talked to any of them, she'd just worked a few jobs with them in town.

Above her, the sky was a bright blue, despite the chilly wind. On the horizon were light gray clouds, the season's first snowstorms slowly gathering far off to the North. "Wow.." The word slipped out from between her lips as she observed the stirring tempest. It took a long time to tear her eyes away and continue scanning the valley for what she had come out looking for. She needed to get Joel a present, and that meant trading something with Jay. And so here she was, hunting. Even if she bagged nothing today, it was still worth finding this spot, she'd have to remember where this was.

Movement drew her eye down to the opposite side of the hill as where she had climbed up, something was shuffling between the canopy of leaves. She slid back from her perch, making her way towards what she had spotted carefully and quietly. Slipping down to a level beneath the trees and pulling the bow from her back, she saw what had caused the movement. It was a deer, a female, because it was lacking horns. _A doe, I think is what Joel called them._

It hadn't seen her, hadn't heard her. It just meandered through trees, sometimes stopping to eat something from the ground. Closing on it quietly, she moved from tree to tree, keeping herself from stepping on one of the many piles of dry leaves. Finally, she was close enough.

Ellie's heart pounded as she drew back on the bowstring, pulling it back towards her ear. She took a steadying breath and aimed carefully at the deer that was about twenty yards in front of her. She had gotten lucky to be able to sneak up on this one. The wind was in the right direction, and the deer wasn't paying much attention to it's surroundings. Joel's advice came back to her, spoken on their way to the university last Fall..

"_Just behind the shoulder, that'll pierce the heart and lungs to down the deer pretty damn quick."_

With a soft exhale, her fingers slowly straightened, allowing the string to snap forward and let the arrow fly. It slammed into the animal, and just as Joel had said, it stumbled for a few seconds before succumbing to the damage and falling. Ellie gave a triumphant, "Fuck yea!" before running forward to retrieve her arrow.

She reached down and gingerly grabbed the shaft of the arrow. "Oh man..sorry." _At least it had been quick. Unlike the last one.._ Yanking quickly upwards, the arrow ripped free rather easily, leaving an open wound that sprayed her knees and shoes with deer blood. "..Gross." She wiped the tip on her jeans before replacing it in her backpack and folding her arms to look over the doe. It was decently sized, and she hadn't really thought this through. "How the fuck do I get you out of here?"

Biting her lip as she examined it, she made the decision to go back for her horse. "Uh..stay here." She ran as fast as she could back around the rise, instead of climbing back up and down. The horse was still by the tree, looking at her curiously as if to say 'Are we going now?'.

Stopping herself just short, she reached for a reins with a small, adrenaline-induced laugh. "Great, _now _I'm imagining what a horse would say to me." Maybe she should socialize more with the people in town, just to keep herself sane while Joel was away. She lead the horse back to the other side, moving as quickly as she could. It took her a minute to get back to her kill, pulling a coiled length of rope from the saddlebags.

Unwinding it, she reached down and around the deer's back, tying it just under it's front legs. Testing the knot for a moment, Ellie winced as she realized she was biting her bottom lip, hoping that this would work. The knot held as she pulled on it, dragging the dead animal a few inches. _I need something better. _Looking up, she saw a branch of a tree almost directly above. "Huh, that'll work."

Picking up the rest of the coiled rope, she climbed into the horse's saddle. "Alright buddy,_ stay_, got it?" She remembered Callus, and how well he listened, poor guy. _Just need to get a little closer._ Taking the rope in hand, she slowly began to stand up in the saddle. _Oh..fuck, this is a bad idea. _Surprisingly, the horse listened well, keeping itself steady while she threw the rope over the branch. The strand sailed up and over, falling down to the ground below. She slid off the horse, moving to grab near the end of the length with both hands. She began pulling down on it with all her weight, the line straining and pulling back against her as she groaned.

"Come on, come on!" The rope began biting into her fingers as the deer inched into the air. Hand over hand, she it moved farther and farther into the air, albeit at a really slow pace. _I can't believe this is working!_

When it was up far enough, she stepped on the rope to keep the carcass suspended, she reached over the horse and grabbed at the deer's front legs. Her hands slipped a few times but she managed to get a hold of them, pulling with all the strength she could. Something hooked onto the saddle, stopping the deer from being pulled over. "Oh fuck you, come _on!_" Yanking it a few times, whatever it was gave way and the doe was pulled over the horse's back. The girl just fell into the side of her mount, panting.

It wasn't until a few seconds later that Ellie realized her hands were on fire. Wearily lifting them to examine what was causing the pain, she just groaned. The rope had burned her left hand, leaving the skin raw and exposed, the right hand however, was a different story. Her effort had made the frayed edges cut deep into the palm, drawing a line of torn skin that was about an inch wide all the way across. Blood was flowing out of it pretty quickly. "Oh _fuck_, oh man. Ow, ow, ow."_ How did I not notice this, there is blood fucking everywhere! _Sure enough, it covered most of the rope she had handled. And the saddle.

Using her left hand, she climbed back up on the horse. A soft whimper escaped her lips as she turned the bloodied palm and pressed it against a relatively clean spot on her pants. "Fuck! Shit! _Fuck_!" She bit her lip to keep herself from continuing a stream of cussing, gently kicking her heels into the horse to get it moving. It would take a bit longer to get back to Jackson, but it was better than walking, she was more than ready to get back to town and see if she could get something to wrap around this damn hand.

* * *

The ride back was a bit shorter than she expected, arriving at the gates to a cheer from a boy in his late teens, who was up in the tower. "Look what Ellie managed to bag!"

Keeping her palm pressed to her jeans, which by this time were soaked through, Ellie just hoped her smile didn't look like the pained grimace she thought it did. Searching for the boy's name, it took her a moment to respond. "Hey, Grant. Mind opening the gate?"

He seemed to notice either her tone or her expression, but he just nodded. _Hell, maybe he saw the blood that I'm covered in. That would do it. _"Yeah..sure. Be right down." Turning away, she lost sight of him. A few moments later the gate slid open, and she was nothing but grateful that the power was on today.

Grant, jogged up, looking over the doe with amazement. "Ellie, you are seriously badass."

"Uh, thanks.. Hey, know where Judy is? I kind of fucked up my hand."

"Oh! Um..last I saw she was in her house."

"Thanks, Grant." She moved the horse forward a bit before climbing off, taking the reins in her left hand to lead it through the town. Heading first for Judy's, she tied the horse off to a post outside the 'hospital' as best she could with one hand before running inside. People were giving the doe corpse strange looks, with more than one exclaiming how amazing it was for Ellie to be able to down something like that _and _get it back to town. _Amazing, sure. It felt fucking amazing._

Entering the front room of Judy's house, she called out for the old nurse, "Judy, you here? It's Ellie, I need some help with a cut."

Judy was through one of the other doors in an instant, sweeping into the room and pulling her to a chair. "Hello, dear. Let me see what we've got." She wasted no time in pulling Ellie's hand from her jeans, giving her a sick feeling as she felt the blood that had already dried pull away from her palm and the opened skin. Her hand was placed over a bowl, letting the blood drip somewhere it wouldn't make a mess. "And just how did you manage this?" Her voice was a kind, gentle tone, if a bit judging.

"Rope burn." The older woman gave her a look, which prompted her to continue with, "It's a long story." Trying to focus on not looking at her hand, she stared at Judy. She was in her late sixties, maybe early seventies, with hair that only had a few black strands left in a sea of gray. But there was a strength to her, no trace of the frailness Ellie had thought would come with old age.

"I'm sure it is. Hold on, this is going to sting." The cut flamed to life again as some liquid was poured over her hand, draining into the bowl below. Her eyes were eventually drawn to the process of cleaning, even though there were tears forming in them. Housed in a brown plastic bottle, she didn't know what it was, but it seemed to do the trick.

The liquid burned and bubbled over her cut, stinging less than and smelling better than the alcohol Joel had used to make his first aid kits. _Fuck those things. They worked but damn. _The burning didn't die down, even when a clean rag was wiped through the wound to clear away the torn, dead skin. Mercifully, the nurse took a piece of cloth and wrapped it around Ellie's hand before tying it off.

The young girl took a few seconds to let the pain fade into a dull throb before she opened her mouth. "Thanks.. what was that stuff?"

"Hydrogen peroxide. It does a better job at disinfecting than alcohol, but the stuff is in limited supply." Releasing her hand, Judy took the bottle, replacing the cap in a quick twist motion.

"Oh." Ellie's lips formed a frown almost immediately, "I'm sure there are better uses for it, other than cleaning up my stupidity." _Idiot, you should have just come back to town and asked for help._

"Nonsense girl, you are as important as any of us here, and a little bit of this will save us antibiotics later."

"Makes sense, I guess. ..Thank you, Judy."

"Of course. Now this is going to slow your body's natural healing process a bit, but it's better than dealing with an infection."

"Got it."

The door opened, and a girl younger than her walked in. She had bright green eyes and brown hair, they had been introduced. "Hey Ellie! Oh man, I missed watching you get bandaged up!"

"Hi..uh, Cassie." She looked between Judy and the girl. Right, she was the one that was learning from the old woman. In this world, even the youngest needed to know basic first aid skills.

"Keep pressure on it, Ellie." Judy moved off to the back room to put away her first aid supplies, pointing at the bandaged hand before doing so.

"Right.." Pressing down on her palm, she winced slightly.

Cassie moved closer, watching from a slight distance. "Saw the deer outside..You are seriously awesome."

She scoffed at that, "Oh I _feel _awesome."

"No..I mean you do things that none of the rest of us could do." The smaller girl was looking at her, eyes wide with awe, and a touch of fear "Especially if what the others say is true." _Who cares what they say? ..Who am I kidding? I care. Not right now though._

Scooting off the chair, Ellie moved towards the door, "I need to get the deer to Jay's, quick."

"Oh, alright. See you around Ellie."

Without responding, she opened the door and moved outside, silently groaning at the small crowd that had gathered. She kept her right hand close to her chest as she moved toward the horse, nodding as people said things like 'Good job!' and 'Nice kill!'. A few, she saw, were pointing at the dark stains on her pants and the bandage. One of the older girls pointed out to the group the rope, drawing a few disgusted noises as they saw the blood that stained the strands.

Ellie took the reins with her left hand, the rough leather against raw skin making her wince as she made her way through the dispersing crowd. Her lack of response giving most of them the clue she wanted to give. She headed for Jay's garage, where the townspeople traded surplus supplies for what they had gathered. He managed the community stock inventory, as well as the market. It seemed easily corruptible to her, but he was fair and kept it flowing better than she had thought possible. You traded something in for the town to take something from the stockpile, it was simple, yet effective.

Approaching the man from behind, he turned his wheelchair to face her, his left leg missing just below the knee. "News travels fast, I hear you have somethin' impressive for me." _This is him impressed?_

"Yeah..but only if you've got a guitar in that mess somewhere." She spoke with confidence, turning the horse so he could see her catch before returning her left hand to holding her right.

Jay whistled through his teeth. "Wow, they weren't fuckin' with me." He wheeled a bit closer to look the deer over. "Well, I s'pose this can go well with some of Ford's home brewed 'shine." He stopped, peering at her. "What'd you do to your hand?"

"The deer bit me." She said it with a straight face, not in the mood for small talk. "Do you have a guitar or not, Jay?"

"Testy, aren't'cha?"

"Just want to be done with the fucking thing."

"A'right, a'right." Turning himself around, he raised a hand to shout back into the garage. "Jason, Tyler! Come haul this over to the bar, tell whosever cookin' to wait until I get there!" Two guys, both looking to be barely out of their teens, came out from the garage. "Gotta tell 'em how to properly cook the kill."

One of them shot a wink at Ellie, saying, "Nicely done." She just smiled, holding back the impatient glare she wanted to give him.

Jay watched them go before wheeling himself into the garage. She could hear him rummaging through piles before he re-emerged with an old leather case in his lap. He wheeled right up to Ellie, letting her pick it up.

"Bit weathered, but your old man should be able to play it just fine."

"Huh?"

"Your pop, Joel." He blinked at her.

She was quick to reply, "He's uh..we aren't related."

Jay just laughed, turning to wheel off toward the restaurant. "Could've fooled me."

_Oh fuck you. _She didn't stick around to chat with the old bastard, instead continuing on past the garage, heading toward the north end of town to give Nate back his horse. Some people walking by said thanks for the deer, to which Ellie gave them a quiet 'Welcome'. Holding the handle of the guitar case, she could feel the weight of the instrument within as she walked. It stung a bit as it stretched her palm, but she didn't pay it much more than a few thoughts, more excited about her prize than anything.

She reached the stables after a few minutes, handing the reins to the large bearded man in front of her with a guilty look. "Sorry about the mess, Nate." She had clearly been expected, word did travel fast in this small town.

He let out a laugh, it was actually pretty loud, drawing the gaze of a few horses. "It'll be a short clean up, I think that's worth eating well tonight." Nate was a large man, almost as big as Joel. "How's your hand?"

"It'll be fine, it looks worse than it is."

"Good, glad you found what you wanted." He took the reins from her, allowing her to switch the guitar from her injured hand to the kind of injured one, relieving the pressure on her cut.

She smirked at his words, "Couldn't have done it without your help."

"I'm happy to be a service. You ever need to ride again, just let me know." He flashed her a smile as he led her former mount into it's stall.

"Why'd you even let me take him?" It had crossed her mind a few times, and she was dying to know now.

Nate emerged from the stall, wiping his hands on his dirty overalls. "Well..I'll be frank. You look haunted, Ellie. I see it, everyone does. I figure if anyone needs to be out in the wilderness alone for a while, it's you." Her breath caught. Haunted? _That's one way to put it. _"Just don't tell Joel I let you go and get yourself injured, I tend to enjoy living."

That brought a giggle from her, a grin taking over her lips. "I won't rat you out, don't worry. I..thanks Nate, for the horse and the honesty."

"Anytime, Ellie. Keep yourself out of trouble now, yeah?" He turned to go and grab a water pail from the corner of the stable.

"Ha! I'll do my best. See you around!" Hefting the case up a bit, she left him be, heading for her and Joel's place to drop off the guitar. _Then to dinner, apparently deer tastes pretty good when not cooked by cannibals._

* * *

"Tommy, I'm gonna check this one out." Climbing the steps of the house, the large man looked the house over. It was styled to look like a log cabin, and he imagined it must've looked pretty damn good back in the day.

"Alright Joel, I'll be across the street. Heather and Montana should be catchin' up fairly soon though." Tommy's reply was distant, but he still caught it.

They had been out for a week or so, headed across the border into Idaho. A small town just south of Rexburg had been their first stop, and they hadn't found much but a few new sets of clothes for the people back in Jackson. Rexburg, having not been converted into a Quarantine Zone, hopefully had more to offer for them, they'd just arrived in the outskirts last night. Forcing the door open, Joel made his way into the first rooms, scanning quickly with his shotgun. No infected came running, something they had been lucky with so far.

After his scan and stopping to listen carefully, he began to really study his surroundings, looking for anything of use. Like other places, it had little, but he did manage to find a full deck of cards he thought Ellie might like. As he bent to pick it up, he felt the outline of the photo in his shirt pocket. He knew exactly what it looked like, having memorized it down to the faded edges. Ellie had given it to him before he had left, a worried look on her face as she did. _Ah kiddo, if only you knew how much I didn't deserve your worry._

Joel hoped she was managing without him in Jackson, but damn if it wasn't hard to be away from her after all they'd been through in the past year. Berating himself for being a soft old fool as he made his way upstairs, expecting more from a little girl than he himself could give. The first door on his left was a bathroom, void of anything useful. The second was a kid's room, causing him to shut the door almost immediately after opening it. _Coward._ He tried the other side of the hall, opening the door slowly this time.

It was a rather large room, not incredibly adorned, but it was definitely an adult's room. He looked through the dressers, on the nightstand, and in the closet, finding nothing but old clothing. Sighing heavily, he moved to exit the room. As an afterthought, he turned, moving toward the bed. Placing his shotgun on the covers, he bent down to look under the wooden frame. A large leather case lay just in front of him. Grabbing it quickly, he pulled it out from under the bed, he hadn't even hoped for something like this, but having an eye out had paid off.

_Or not._ Opening the case, it was empty. No guitar lay within. His disappointment soared to a whole new height. "..Damn."

"The hell are you doing, brother?"

Joel started, jumping up to his feet, Tommy was eying him from the hall. "I..I'm looking for a guitar."

"Well I can see that. But why?" Moving to lean against the doorway and cradling his rifle in his arms, the younger of the two looked more than amused.

"..Was gonna see if Ellie wanted to learn." Joel awkwardly scratched the back of his head, shrugging. Tommy's eyes widened before he started laughing. "Okay, now what is so goddamn funny about that?"

His laugh dying down to a chuckle, his brother shook his head. "It ain't funny, Joel, it's just good to see."

"To see _what_?"

Tommy grinned at him. "See you happy. It's a welcome sight after all these years."

Joel shook his head, snatching his shotgun from the bed. "Can it, boy. Let's just get a move on."

* * *

The restaurant was loud tonight, everyone clamoring to get a bit of the deer she had hauled in. Jay had been the one to cook it up, apparently he had been around long enough to know exactly how to do it, too. _Can't argue with the taste though. _Biting into the succulent meat, it was prepared to perfection in her mind, with just the right amount of juiciness left inside and with all the right spices.

The table she had sat down alone in had filled up within minutes. Cassie was the first, plopping down next to her with a cheerful greeting, despite how Ellie had treated her at Judy's. Then came Grant, the boy from the gate, with his mop of fiery red hair. He was followed closely by Charlie, a girl older than herself with a dazzling smile that could brighten up someone's day just by looking at her. The final one to join them, pulling a chair up at the end for himself, was Danny, a thin boy around her age she hadn't see around much. He had an apron on, having cooked part of the meal.

In the far corner of the place, she could see all the other tables, and the bar. Everyone from the town who wasn't on perimeter duty right now was here. There was Judy, enjoying her meal without taking part in the conversation around her. Brad, the 'genius' engineer, who was grinning at something other than an electronic for once. Jacob, the boy Brad had taken under his wing, was seating next to him, his face a mess of the sauce as he devoured his portion. Jason and Tyler, the two who worked with Jay, were busy telling grand stories of the doe Ellie had brought in. One of them pointed excited toward her, making her freckled cheeks burn in embarrassment as most of the room looked _right_ at her.

Ashley, the young woman who taught the little kids in school, thankfully drew the attention away from her by questioning their story. In all fairness, adding heroic music to it was bit too much. Nate, standing behind the two boys, cuffed them both upside their heads, adding in that people should have seen the rope she had used to hoist the deer. Absolutely covered in blood, he said. Strangely enough, that drew the attention to him, and away from Ellie. When he caught her looking at him, he shot her a wink.

The door opened, and Maria entered, scanning the restaurant quickly before spotting her. With a groan, she looked down at her food, poking at the meat with her fork as the woman walked over. The blonde-haired woman looked at those around her table. "Hey guys, mind letting Ellie out for a sec, I'll bring her right back."

Cassie slid up quickly, offering her an apologetic smile. Ellie sighed, scooting out of the booth and patting the smaller girl's shoulder gently before turning on the rest of the table. "Anyone touches my food and you are getting an arrow, we clear?"

Charlie just grinned up at her. "I'll keep the boys at bay, take your time."

She smiled right back at the older girl, Charlie had that effect, to make you want to like her. Following Maria into the back room, she prepared herself for the worst. She'd been yelled at before, way back in school, and here it comes.

Rounding on the young teenager, Maria didn't look angry, and she didn't have the murderous eyes Ellie had seen way back when Joel had asked Tommy to take her to the Fireflies. "Let me see your hand."

She complied, offering the bandaged hand to the other woman. The tie was quickly undone and her cut unwrapped, letting it breath for the first time after being cleaned, causing her to suck in a breath. "Oh that is pretty gnarly, isn't it?" The cut was much deeper than it had seemed before, but it looked clean, no redness or swelling. It wasn't bleeding much either, so there was that.

Maria frowned, tossing the dirtied bandage on the counter before pulling another clean strip of cloth from her back pocket. "Damn it, Ellie.." It wasn't a curse directed at her, and that made her smile for some reason, "Does it hurt?"

"Not so much now, it was a bitch earlier though." Her reply was quick, and quite honest. It was just a constant throb that she had grown used to over the past hour or so.

Letting out a small laugh, Maria wrapped the cloth around her much smaller hand, tying it tightly. She could feel the rough callouses on the older woman's hands, caused by years of hard work. "I bet. You know you could have asked for my help with the deer, yeah? Joel made me promise to watch out for you." Of course she knew how she had hurt her hand, the whole damn town knew. _He had someone watch out for me?_

"I know, I'm an idiot." Ellie had already spent her time either insulting herself or admiring the guitar her pain had bought.

"No, no you aren't. Reckless, yes. And trying to get Joel to kill me by sneaking out by yourself."

"Sneaking? Grant let me through the gate!"

"Oh, so that's who I need to kill." Maria flashed her a smile to let her know she was just messing around. Letting go of her hand, the older woman bent slightly to hug her gently. It caught her off guard, like most hugs did. "Alright, you can get back to your friends, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't bleeding heavily."

Ellie grinned at her, returning the hug for a second before pulling back. "Thanks, Maria. I promise I'm not trying to get you killed, I'm just going a bit stir crazy. I'll..be more..careful?" _Wow, that was unconvincing. _

"You won't, but so long as you don't catch an infection, you'll be fine. This time. Take someone with you next time, please. Do it for me."

"Fine, fine..I will."

"Also, Ellie..the guitar was a good call for a present." _Damn straight._ They both walked back into the main room of the restaurant, drawing a few eyes. Maria moved off to get a plate of her own, and Cassie was already up to let Ellie slide back into her seat.

True to her word, Charlie had kept her dinner untouched, and she gave the older girl a grateful smile as she cut into the meat with her fork. Cassie sat back down next to her, and they resumed the conversation they had been having before. It was something about, well, something. She didn't pay much attention, was she even supposed to? Were they more than barely acquaintances? They certainly acted like friends, she guessed.

"Would you, Ellie?" Cassie chirped next to her.

Looking up, she noticed everyone at the table was looking at her. "Huh? Sorry, I lost myself for a sec."

Charlie filled her in quickly, "Cassie wants someone to help her with shooting, since it's her first day on watch, we figured you'd be the best for it." Looking down at the plate in front of her, the older girl laughed, "Clearly."

"I'm on perimeter duty tonight, and I was hoping you could join me. If you don't want to..it's okay." Cassie's eyes were wide and hopeful, like a lost puppy. _Using my own tricks against me won't work, but hey, perimeter duty. It's about time._

"Sure, Cassie. I'll help you out." Ellie replied with a smile. "When are you scheduled?"

"Um..whenever you are done with your dinner."

Taking a few quick bites, she spoke through a full mouth. "Alright, I'm done." Her actions drew a laugh from the other teenagers, and Cassie and her slid out from the booth. She swallowed her mouthful down before looking back at the table. "Go ahead and finish my plate guys, thanks for the company."

Grant snickered, calling dibs on the plate and pulling it towards himself. "Anytime, Ellie." Danny mumbled a timid goodbye while Charlie grabbed the plate for herself.

With a smile, she let Cassie lead towards the door. The various conversations had turned away from featuring her, which she was thankful for, but a few people turned to say thanks. "Yeah, you're welcome, but you should thank Jay. All I did was shoot it." Without saying anything else, she pushed the door open and practically shoved Cassie through.

They walked quickly to the nearby watch tower Cassie had been assigned. When they got to the ladder, Cassie shouted up. "Mark..Hey, Mark! Time to switch."

A grown man with black hair that looked like he had just climbed out of bed quickly came down the ladder, a rifle slung across his back. "'Bout time, apparently some girl killed a pretty good sized doe!" Jumping down the last few feet, he straightened and turned. "Oh. This girl, actually."

"Name's Ellie. Nice to meet you too, Mark." She smiled up at him.

"Right, that was the name. Well, I'm going to hurry before I miss all the chow, you girls have fun, and thanks, _Ellie._" Emphasizing her name for what she assumed was committing it to memory, he handed the rifle to Cassie and ran off toward the lights of the restaurant.

Cassie watched him go before looking at Ellie with a laugh. "And that's Mark. He's a strange one, usually spends his time on perimeter. Kind of solitary." Nodding, the younger girl made her way up the ladder, and Ellie closely followed her.

Climbing up into the watch tower, she surveyed the land illuminated by the lights, it was just dark forest on this side, not really much to see. _Oh well, nice to just be up here. _Cassie held the rifle awkwardly, looking at her.

Ellie looked her over. "What was it you wanted me to teach you with this?"

"Um..aiming. And shooting. Basically everything..I've never fired a gun." The younger girl looked down, embarrassed by her revelation.

She didn't know what to say, where to start. "You've never, _ever_, fired a gun?"

"No..I've never needed to. My dad brought me here when I was really young..he was the one who shot the guns if we needed to. Maria gave me some lessons..but I was hoping you could teach me more."

"Hmm..already, we'll start with the basics." Grabbing the rifle from her, Ellie first checked the chamber by tugging the bolt back. It was loaded, good. "First off, never move your finger to the trigger unless you plan on firing it." She tapped her finger against the trigger guard to emphasize her point.

"Okay, finger off the trigger."

"You know how to load this, yes?" Cassie nodded. "Good, now take it, and aim."

The younger girl took the rifle from her, aiming out over the trees. Ellie pushed her shoulder and the stock together. "Hold it tight here, it's going to kick like a bitch, so lean into it." Pausing to watch the girl ready herself, she sighed. "I'll ask Maria to set up some bottles so we can practice for real. It's not really much help until you fire it and get a feeling for it."

"Really..? Thanks, Ellie."

"Don't mention it." She turned her eyes to the treeline as Cassie lowered the rifle, leaning it against the side of the watch tower. They spent several minutes in silence, just watching the darkness together. She could tell the other girl had something she wanted to say, but gave her time to find her words.

Finally, her question came. "What's it like?"

"What is what like?" She looked over at the other girl, tilting her head slightly.

Cassie bit her lip before speaking up again, "Killing someone..?"

"Oh."

* * *

_Where was he? I need to find a way down._

Joel had fallen down the elevator shaft, but was apparently okay. He had been gone for a long time, and he needed her help, she was sure of it. With her back to the wall, she looked around the corner, just a peek. There was a Hunter just standing there, watching something, waiting for something.

_He sees Joel, I've got to do something._

The man charged, and she heard the heavy thud of someone being hit. Then a splash of water. Her body moved on it's own accord, sprinting forward to turn right around the corner. The stairs down were out, but that barely slowed her down as she let herself down onto a pile of luggage. Almost falling as she climbed down the stack of luggage, she saw what had caused the noise.

_Oh, fuck. No, no, no._

Joel was trying to push the Hunter off of him, but was losing the fight and was being held under water, so Ellie ran for him as fast as she could, the Hunter didn't even notice her. Joel was struggling, reaching for something under the..there, his gun. Without pausing, she bent and retrieved the weapon, pulling her hand up and squeezing the trigger as soon as the barrel was towards the guy's head. One shot rang out in the room, and Joel burst from under the water. As he sucked in a breath, looking at her with a stunned expression, he fell backwards onto his hands.

_What did I just do?_ _What the fuck did I just do?! _"Man... I shot the hell outta that guy, huh?"

Beginning to pick himself up, his reply was simple, "Yeah, you sure did."

_Oh man, I need to sit down. _She lowered herself onto the nearby crate, breathing heavily. "I feel sick."

Joel grabbed the gun from her. "Why didn't you just hang back like I told you to?"

_What?_ She looked at him. "Well, you're glad I didn't, right?" _Right?!_

"I'm glad I didn't get my head blown off by a goddamn kid."

_What the fuck? _"You know what? No." She stood up, approaching the man she had just saved. "How about, hey Ellie, I know it wasn't easy but it was either him or me, thanks for saving my ass." He stood up from his backpack, and it took a lot to stand her ground with this. "You got anything like that for me, Joel?"

He seemed to consider it, just for a moment, then looked her right in the eye. "We gotta get goin'."

Ellie looked at him as he moved towards the ladder. "Lead the way." _Fucker._

* * *

_Of course, it was the first time he actually began to trust me. Guess that one worked out. _

"Ellie?"

"It wasn't fun, or empowering, or great... it was terrible. When it was over, I almost threw up, and then Joel yelled at me for saving his fucking ass." That was blunt, and very to the point.

"..Oh." Cassie grew quiet after that, avoiding looking over in her direction at all.

_She just wants some advice on a situation she will probably face, sooner or later.. come on, Ellie, think. What the hell would you want someone to say to you?_

"Don't ever hesitate." She began with that, and Cassie's eyes locked on hers immediately. "If it's your life, or your friend's life, don't ever hesitate to pull the trigger."

The silence settled in again, and the younger girl leaned the rifle against the tower wall, inching away from it. Ellie watched her for a long moment, this girl who had never actually fired the gun, and was afraid of it.

"Does it ever get easier, killing people? Grant said you killed a lot of people when you traveled with Joel."

_That's what they talk about? Me and Joel, slaughtering our way across the country. Shooting, stabbing, burning, or hacking people to death with all sorts of weapons? _"It gets easier to do in the moment, but it gets harder to deal with it later."

"I don't ever want to kill someone." Cassie's voice was quiet, close to breaking.

Reaching over to place her hand on the girl's shoulder, she tried her best to sound hopeful. "I hope you never have to." _Poor kid. I wonder if she's ever knew a life outside of Jackson?_

Cassie sniffed, shaking her head. "You don't need to stay up here all night. Go get some sleep, you had a pretty rough day, right?"

Blinking, she nodded, understanding that the other girl wanted to be alone. Moving towards the ladder, she waited until she was about to climb down to say anything. "Goodnight, Cassie."

"Night, Ellie."

Her feet hit the ground, and she couldn't help but worry about the girl up in the watch tower as she walked toward her and Joel's house. _I should have said something different, something hopeful. No, no, it was better to be honest. Damn it Ellie, all she was looking for was some reassurance. _Lost in her own thoughts, she nearly walked right by the front door. Pushing her way into what had become her home, she moved quickly to the room she shared with Joel.

Ellie slid down onto the edge of the dirty mattress, biting her lip as she made the decision to not go over to Maria's. It was time to give it another shot. Maybe she might even last the night. _You wish, Ellie. _Try to sleep, completely alone in the house. _I can't even blame Joel for wanting to get away, I'm so fucking dependent. _Holding the hurt hand to her chest and removing her shoes with the other, she turned to crawl up until she could flop down on the mattress completely.

Red hair was brushed into her face as she eased down into the pillow. _Goodnight, Joel. Wherever you are. _Slowly, her body succumbed to the exhaustion of the day, and the last thing to fade away was the throb in her palm.


	3. Chapter 3 - Return

Chapter 3

Return

September – 2034 – Jackson, Wyoming

"I'm not infected."

"No? So was this lyin'?" He throws the scanner on the ground in front of me.

"I can explain." I hold out my hand, trying to get them to stop and listen to me. I really can explain.

"You better explain fast." Tess' grip on her pistol tightens, my heart begins to race. I pull up my sleeve as fast as I can.

"Look at this!" My bite mark, barely healing, is revealed to the two. The man shakes his head and turns away.

"I don't care how you got infected."

"It's three weeks old." Three weeks since I was infected. Three weeks since Riley died.

"No. Everyone turns within two days." Tess waves her gun slightly. "So you stop bullshitting."

I'm not, they have to believe me. "It's three weeks. I swear." Even I can hear the desperation in my voice. "Why would she set you up?"

Tess lowers her pistol slowly, and a feel my heart start back up again. She looks at the man, who looks right back at her. It's an agonizing wait. Then he shakes his head, pulling his pistol from it's holster. "I ain't buying it." He walks up to me, raising his gun.

"Wait" I beg pathetically, and my eyes are unwillingly drawn to the barrel. "Please, Joel." I say his name like he's the most important person in the world to me, like everything depended on cradling that name. Why do I do that? I barely know this guy.

His finger moves to the trigger, and he just glares at me. I raise my hands in front of me, and I see his eyes go to the bite mark before returning to mine. "Joel. No-" A gunshot rings out, and I am slammed back against the concrete behind me. I can feel the rain falling on my face, feel the cold hard ground beneath me. And then I feel it. The pain in my chest so immense. I can't breathe, I can't scream.

Where is Tess? Why isn't she stopping this? I cough, and blood spatters the ground under me. I see boots move closer, and I look up to see the barrel, this time aimed for my head. Somehow, this hurts worse than the hole in my chest, this betrayal. Another gunshot shatters my hearing.

* * *

Waking with a scream, Ellie jolted up from her mattress. She ran her hand over her chest, finding it undamaged under the camo t-shirt and her long sleeved undershirt. Her heart was thundering beneath the skin, her breaths coming in short panicked gasps. She was covered in sweat, it had soaked through both her shirts, and was dripping from the tip of her nose.

"_I ain't buying it." He had said._

"Oh man, what the fuck?" Speaking to herself between panting for breath, it took her a moment to get under control. "Just a dream..breathe Ellie, breathe. Just a dream." She was shaking as fear pulsed through her veins, even as she tried to slow her breathing. _Holy fuck._ Instinctively, she looked over to see if Joel was there, finding nothing but an empty mattress and an abandoned pillow.

It took several minutes for her to calm enough that she could fall back onto her mattress, running her uninjured hand through her messy hair. As the fear slipped away, the throbbing from her _great_ decision yesterday replaced it. Bringing her hand up in front of her face, she could see why it was hurting so bad. Whatever thrashing she had done due to the nightmare had opened the wound again, allowing it to bleed through the cloth. "Dammit.." She gave a frustrated sigh before dragging herself up off the bed. The faint light through the window told her it was early morning, with the sun just beginning to rise. She had made it. She hadn't really slept peacefully, but she had made it one night. Alone. It was only a small victory, but it gave Ellie a sense of satisfaction.

Lifting the collar of the camo shirt to her nose, she took a whiff of it. "And I smell like total ass.." It was a terrible mixture of dirt, sweat, and blood. It kind of smelt like Joel had during that first Summer together. Pulling on her old ratty shoes before leaving the room, she turned down the hallway, heading for the last door before the stairs, the one she had chose when they had first arrived. It wasn't really her room, more like a place to change or to read when she wanted privacy, but she didn't think of it as her room. She turned the handle and pushed the door inward.

A couple shelves and a dresser were the only furnishings left in the room, the rest having either rotten or been taken apart. She took her extra pair of jeans from one shelf, grabbing a shirt from the other, as well as a fresh pair of socks that were almost white. Draped over the dresser was a jacket, the red plaid on she had been wearing when they had first arrived, the one she had worn after throwing away the hospital gown from Salt Lake. As Ellie reached for it, she felt the familiar tug of her thoughts towards deciphering Joel's lie. She wasn't quick enough with forcing them away, and the feeling of loneliness and abandonment slithered their way into the pit of her stomach. _He's coming back, calm down, he said he would._ It helped a little to remember her conversation with him before he left.

Closing the door behind her, with new clothes in hand, she moved back down the hallway, grabbing her backpack from the couch and exiting the house. The town was just beginning to wake up, with only a few people out and about. _Good._ She walked for the gate she had been helping Cassie guard last night, pressing the button to open it, hoping the young girl would still be there. As the gate slowly slid to one side, a small head peeked over the side of the tower.

"Ellie, where're you going?" Cassie called down to her.

"Going to go wash myself off in the river. I shouldn't be long."

She caught the sound of the smaller girl yawning before there was a reply. "Alright, I'll still be here so just shout for me."

"Will do." Walking through the gates was always a strange, foreign thing for Ellie. She'd just always been in a place where leaving through the gates was either not allowed or she just went a different route. The forest here was a bit more familiar than where she had been yesterday, as this was where she had walked through when Joel had brought her here, and the small creek she had seen stuck with her, might as well use it. There was running water at a few places in town, and those people had offered to let her use their showers or tubs, but she didn't want to risk anyone seeing the mark on her arm. _Not that the dream helped with that._

She shuddered as she remembered the nightmare before taking off past the worn road. The asphalt was covered by nature, like so many other roads she had seen. She moved down off the remnants of civilization, hopping over a fallen tree. "Which way again..?" It had been over a month since she had seen any of this, and it took her a moment before she sorted out which way to go. After a minute or so of walking through the heavy forest, it broke into a small clearing, less than twenty feet across, with a slow moving creek running through it. "Perfect."

Setting down the clothes she had brought, she looked at the water. It wasn't deep at all, just a couple of feet. "Screw it." With that, Ellie just charged right in, gasping as the cold water struck her. She let it flow around her for a few moments before tugging both shirts she was wearing up and over her head. Pulling them apart from each other, she took the undershirt in hand and scrubbed it together, actually seeing some of the dirt wash away down the stream. Tossing the long-sleeved one up to shore, she began to work on the other. The camo shirt wasn't as bad, but it still darkened the water around it. Being constantly dirty had become way to usual for her, and wearing clothes this filthy back in Boston would have disgusted her. _You have to adjust out here. Even this damn stream is a blessing._

Tossing her last shirt up to the shore next to the other, she quickly undid her jeans and pulled them clear of her legs under the surface. Making awkward movements to avoid falling, she took just a second to scrub the fabric of her pants together. "Oh, shit... Ew." The clear stream around the stained denim turned a deep red from the blood, even after a night of drying. Her hand must have been bleeding pretty good when she had pressed it to her leg. _Better ask Maria to get someone to actually wash these.. _Adding them to the pile on the shore, she then untied the piece of cloth around her hand. The cut had stopped bleeding since she had left the house, but the bandage was still completely soaked through.

The water running by the gash was surprisingly pleasant. It cooled it down and took away the throbbing, it felt good. Her eyes slowly wandered up the bare skin of her arm until they settled on the scar of a bite. It hadn't ever really healed, just stayed looking..gross. A disgusting monument to her friend's death, her immunity, and whatever Joel had lied about. Stuck on her body.

"_Best not to dwell on it." Joel had said._

"_How can you not?" She had answered._

That conversation hadn't even been about her scar, or anything related, but that's what came to mind. _Best not to dwell on it. _Sighing, she bent slightly into the stream so she could scrub at her arms, chest, and shoulders. Dirt and sweat gave way to reveal the small scars and freckles that lay beneath. Every rigid bump of a scar told a story she didn't want to remember. Most of them about last Winter, and so she forced her mind elsewhere, to other subjects. _The guitar. How am I supposed to convince Joel to play it? Maybe he won't need convincing. He still needs to sing for me too.. I wonder if he will. He'll definitely have to be persuaded to do that. _

Drawn from her thoughts as she caught her reflection in the clear surface of creek. Having finished cleaning what she could from her body, she was about to just submerge her whole head when an idea struck. She smiled, and studied how her face had changed in the last year or so. It was the first reflection of herself she had seen since Boston. The smile didn't even touch her eyes, and the pale green hue of her irises didn't light up like they used to. They just looked..dead. "Is this what I look like to other people?" The question, even though she said it, stung because of where it lead next. Her voice rose an octave, anger pounding it's way into her chest. "Is this what Joel sees when I smile?!" Ellie didn't even know who she was supposed to be talking to, but she needed to get this out, it had been bottled up too long. "Do I just look like the girl who should've died last winter?"

"No, you just look like a girl who has been hurt." The voice came from behind her, causing her to cover her bite mark instinctively. She turned her head ever so slightly to look back, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw it was Charlie, the older teenager from the restaurant last night. "No one thinks any less of you for it, either."

Blinking, Ellie wasn't sure what to say for a moment. Her cheeks flushed red as she realized all she was wearing was a pair of sneakers and her undergarments, and that smile Charlie always had just grew when she realized the younger girl was blushing. "I..uh, sorry Charlie..had a moment of crazy."

Approaching the stream, the other girl offered out a long, colorful towel. "It's alright, I think we all need those moments." Turning to face her, Ellie kept her right hand toward her chest, feigning that it was still hurting, which conveniently kept the scar on her forearm from showing. It worked rather well as she grabbed the towel and pulled herself out. The older girl looked away as she wrapped the towel around herself, pretending to study the trees around the clearing to give her some privacy.

"What do you mean?" Ellie broke the silence after a few seconds, something in the others voice had made her curious.

"You aren't the only one who had a rough time coming here..moments like that are sometimes the only way to deal with the past." There it was again, as if her voice was both happy and close to breaking all at once.

She just felt selfish. Of course others would understand she was hurt. Everyone was hurt in this fucked up world. "I'd never guess you've had a bad time, you are so happy all the time. It even makes other people in town smile and laugh around you." Finished drying herself off, Ellie let the towel drop, taking off her wet, sort-of-clean-now sneakers and pulling on the extra pair of socks. She kept watching the older teenager though, just in case she looked back, so she could hide the bite. "..Nate says I look haunted."

Charlie laughed at that, a bright sound that echoed around the clearing. It seemed to charge the air, that was the effect she had. "Happiness is a tough one, Ellie. You have to fight for it. You have to build it, brick by brick, even when your past comes over to knock it down. Eventually the thing that haunted you can't break your wall."

Tugging on her jeans with one hand, she silently curses the rope from yesterday. It was a pain in the ass to get the torn jeans all the way to her waist, where she had to wiggle herself into the last few inches. "So..why did you have to fight for it? If its..okay to ask and everything."

The silence over the next few seconds wasn't awkward, as Charlie looked down and kicked a rock into the stream, she seemed to be searching for the right words. Ellie had just pulled a black t-shirt over her head when the other girl finally spoke up. "When I was thirteen, my parents took me and left the Quarantine Zone we were in." She sensed the unspoken question. "Sioux Falls, over in South Dakota. The military abandoned it."

Slipping into the plaid jacket to finish dressing, she just looked at Charlie, who turned and rolled up her pant legs to her knees and removed her shoes before sitting down and sticking her feet into the water. After a while, Ellie sat down just behind her. "Anyway, we were in this town West of the Zone a few weeks later, trying to escape from Hunters. They had the city locked down pretty well, but we were surviving. One day while searching through an office building, we came across a lot of infected.." She trailed off again, her lips that were usually set into a small smile had dipped into a frown. Ellie knew how this story ended, she had heard it and others like it over and over all her life.

"I watched my dad get torn apart from infected, and my mom..she was bitten. She gave me her pack and told me to run, then she ran off and drew the attention of the Hunters." Charlie glanced over at her, flashing a sad smile for a second. "..Anyway, Tommy found me pretty much near death, covered in dirt and blood, brought me here."

Ellie opens and closes her mouth a few times. _This shouldn't be hard, you've seen so many people lose the ones they love. _"I'm sorry. God, I know that is a sucky thing to say, but I really am..no one should have to go through that."

"Everyone's got their past." Charlie leaned back some, moving her legs through the water. Her smile returned to her face almost instantly. "How about you, what's your story?"

"I..lived in the Boston QZ up until a year or so ago. I've been with Joel pretty much every day since." _Well, I'm not lying. _

"That's pretty vague." Reaching back, the older girl placed her hand on Ellie's knee, grinning. "But that's alright, I'm sure you'll be able to talk about it someday."

Ellie returned the grin with one of her own. "Thank you for talking to me, Charlie." Jumping up and moving to grab the pile of wet clothes she had left on the ground, Charlie just nods.

"Hey Ellie, before I forget why I came out here.. want to trade jobs for the day? I know you like perimeter duty."

"Um..well, yes. But why?"

"Oh..Grant is working in the stables today too."

It took her a minute to actually catch the older girl's point, but Ellie let out a laugh as it dawned on her. "Then definitely a yes, I hope that works out for you. And thanks for the towel, Charlie."

"You're welcome, and thank _you_ for switching. By the way, you're relieving Houser on the Western tower." Charlie laid back on the grass, kicking her legs through the water with a perfectly content look on her face as Ellie turned away to head back to town.

The trek to the gate was quick, and Cassie had seen her long before she got there. The gate slid open before she could even begin to shout. The younger girl was standing there with the gate control in her hands, looking guilty as could be. "Hey, Ellie. Charlie said she was looking for you..I figured you wanted to be alone but she-"

"No worries, Cassie, it's all okay."

"Oh, good. Enjoy the bath?" Cassie grinned at her, closing the gate and setting the control aside.

Ellie nodded, then looked towards the tower she was taking. "I'll see you around, Cassie." As she walked away from the other girl, she wasn't sure if she wanted to be alone with her thoughts, or just wanted to be away from her thoughts all together. _The one thing Joel can't save you from._

She sighed softly, it was going to be a long month.

* * *

It had been three weeks since he had seen Ellie, and it was starting to noticeably wear on him. Tommy could barely stand him, Montana and Heather all but avoided him. Three of the six horses they had brought with them had their saddlebags packed to the brim with ammo, clothes, medicine. Anything or everything that the people of Jackson might need. And yet, Joel's mind always wandered back to the little girl he had left behind. _Was she alright? Probably. Was she staying out of trouble? That's a no. Did she wake up screaming, like she had the first few months after Colorado? Did she ever want to talk about that time? _

Every day was a struggle between his own thoughts and trying to keep a clear mind, and as the month away from her dragged on, he was losing the battle more and more. And so here he was, staring at the boarded up library, once again thinking about Ellie, wishing he could haul a couple of them back so she wouldn't have to sleep on the floor. He heard the familiar footsteps of Tommy, heavier than other two who had come with them.

With a sigh, his brother moved up behind him. "Y'know, all that worryin' is for nothin'. Maria's watchin' her."

"I know it ain't logical, Tommy. It's just..it ain't easy wakin' up without knowin' where she is." He brought his hands together and rubbed at the broken watch on his wrist. _It ain't been easy since Winter. One goddamn time I didn't have her back and some bastard almost.. _He gave his own heavy sigh.

He hadn't told that particular part of their journey to Tommy. But his younger brother did sense the weight on his shoulders, and gently tapped him. "What're you doin' here? Didn't figure you for a reader."

Joel let out a chuckle. "I ain't, I'm fixin' on gettin' Ellie some books."

"'Course you are. ..I got a question for you."

"Shoot." He turned to face his brother, arms folded.

Tommy shuffled his feet for a moment, quite unlike him to be nervous. Ever since Joel had saw him again at the power plant, he could tell he was different, more sure of himself. "'Bout Ellie.. She seems pretty distant. Maria and I both noticed. Something aside from Salt Lake happen to her?"

He opened his mouth to reply that it was nothing, but he couldn't form the words immediately. "She..uh, she went through some pretty traumatic stuff with some Hunters we ran across last Winter." He left it at that, turning back toward the library."I'm gonna check it out."

"Alright, I'll come with you. Just in case." Sure enough, Tommy was right behind him as he walked up the steps. "I ain't explainin' to that little girl you got yourself killed tryin' to get her books."

* * *

The whole valley looked asleep from up here. She was back on the perch she had found when hunting down that deer. A low fog was rolling through, a blanket to comfort the slumbering world below. It had nearly been a month since Joel had left, and she had spent only three nights on her own, each time awaking with a scream from a nightmare that shook her to the core. After a while, she stopped trying, sucking up her pride and using Maria's couch on a regular basis.

Dressed in her familiar and warm plaid jacket, she could still feel the first chills of the coming Winter. It was noticeable everywhere. Bird songs no longer played from the forest. She couldn't spot any squirrels or rabbits, as they settled down for the long, cold months ahead. And still no Joel. _I hope he's okay. He better get his ass back here quickly, he said a month. _

The radio clipped to her belt crackled and came to life. "Ellie, honey. Where are you?" It was Maria, who had just gotten up to find her couch empty again.

Pulling the device from her belt, she clicked in the button. "I'm up on the ridge. I'm fine." Ellie did her best to not sound like an indignant child at the others concern, but it was hard. Worrying about Joel was starting to wear on her, and people could tell. They were giving her more space than usual.

"Got anyone with you?" The expected reply, they had this conversation on a daily basis now. Maria never grew tired of it though, she always played the dutiful guardian.

"I don't like company." Rather to the point, and more than a little rude. "I'll be down in a few minutes.."

"Alright sweetie, don't forget you've got perimeter duty today. Be careful getting back." The static died down as Ellie replaced the radio on her belt.

"Right." Continuing her watch on the valley for a few more minutes before she began her way down and back to Jackson. It felt less and less like home the longer Joel was away. As she slipped off the perch and onto the rocky staircase, a burning desire to voice her feelings came up, another moment of crazy Charlie had said they all needed. "Fucker better be okay."

* * *

It had just passed noon when Ellie took her post for the day, cradling a long hunting rifle in her arms. It was one of the nicer ones, with smooth wood that had limited damage, a well oiled barrel, and a scope that wasn't cracked. It was kind of her's now. Or rather, people left it for her to pick up. She had quickly established herself as one of the most competent shooters in the whole town, so much so that they gave her the midday watch on one of the towers overlooking the main road.

Her days were spent in this tower, or out hunting down animals to bring back. She hadn't managed to kill anything quite like the deer, but people enjoyed the occasional rabbit. Some days, she'd come back inside early to continue teaching Cassie how to fire a rifle. The younger girl had actually gotten quite good at it, too. Ellie was a little bit proud of her. Nights she didn't have watch duty she would hang out with Charlie, which now meant spending time with Grant as well. The two had gotten close, _really _close if Nate's tales of what went on in his barn were to be believed.

Setting the rifle against the side of the tower, she leaned on the railing. It was a nice day, even if it wasn't warm. Her scan of the treeline didn't come up with anything, so she started to observe her hand. It was almost healed, setting up to be a real nasty scar to remind her of her really bad idea. The scab had come and gone, and now it was stuck in that disgusting phase where the skin had closed, but it remained uneven and a different color from the rest of her hand. Hunting probably hadn't helped it, either. _That's gonna be a fun one to explain to Joel._

Ellie sighed, her green eyes slowly sliding back up to the wilderness in front of her. It didn't take long to notice movement through the trees, causing her to quickly reach back and bring the rifle up in front of her, looking through the scope.

Breaking cover from the treeline and onto the road were six horses. Atop four of them were riders, from the amplification of the scope, she could make out Montana and Heather in the back, with Tommy and.. "Joel!" She yelled out with pure joy, pulling the radio from her belt. "Maria, Tommy and Joel are back!"

Maria's voice followed the static on the device, and she could tell by the tone of her voice that the older woman was as ecstatic as she was. "I'll be right there."

Slinging the rifle over her shoulder, Ellie practically ran towards the ladder, swinging over and almost falling down in her haste to get to the gate. It was already open when she arrived, the riders dismounting as a crowd quickly gathered around them. "Joel!" She shouted, pushing through the throng to get to him.

He was turning to face her call when she slammed into him, wrapping her arms about his waist. "You're back!" She said it excitedly, happily. Her own confirmation filling her with warmth as she let the stress and worry melt away.

Chuckling, he wrapped his arms about her small shoulders, engulfing her in a hug of equal vigor. "Hey, baby girl. Missed you too." _Baby girl. I've missed that so fucking much._

A few feet away, Maria and Tommy were having an intimate reunion of their own, ignoring the catcalls of the townspeople around them. Others were greeting Montana and Heather with hugs or claps on the shoulder. It seemed as if most of the town was here, enjoying this reunion, the wayward ones rejoining the flock. It was like a mirror image of how they had left, except the people were happy instead of dreadful. For Ellie, nothing but Joel really registered. His warmth, the weight of his arms, the way he crushed her into his chest when he hugged her.

The other people faded out, the other voices. All that mattered was that he was back, and he was okay. It was a strange contrast to when he had been leaving. She didn't care if people saw her emotions with him, she didn't care about the tears of joy leaving lines through the dirt down her freckled cheeks. She did catch one thing though, over the shoulder of the huge man she was embracing. Charlie was looking at her, with that wide, happy grin. The older girl just winked at her. _Happiness is a tough one._

Joel was home.

* * *

Later that night, after the supplies had been unloaded and stored away, and the town had a dinner to celebrate the return of their people, Ellie and Joel were walking back to their house. People were everywhere in town tonight, walking together down the streets, talking in groups within the park. The restaurant had still been packed to the brim when they left.

"So, we just gonna ignore the fact you got yourself hurt while out hunting alone?" He asked her. It wasn't the tone of voice he used when he was mad, or disappointed. It was, like he had been all day since he returned, loving.

Ellie bit her lip for a moment. "Don't be mad at Maria..I kind of snuck out."

"I'll pretend I'm shocked later.." He breathed and heavy sigh, then stopped her, taking her right hand before looking at it. _Someone must've told him. Oh well, he's back, that's what matters. _"Nate told me it was a decent sized doe, and I should be proud."

"Um..are you?" Her voice sounded a bit more hopeful than she expected it would.

He laughed, his large fingers gently brushing over the scarring tissue on her palm. "I am. But, I'm more glad you weren't seriously hurt."

"I can handle myself, Joel." She joined him in laughing, grinning brightly up at him as he finished examining her hand.

"Don't I know it." He raised a hand to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly. "I..um.. Well, y'see.."

Tilting her head and quirking an eyebrow at him, Ellie watched him carefully. _Since when is he awkward about something? _"What is it?"

"I got you a few things..figured you'd like them and.." Trailing off, he pulled his pack from his shoulders, reaching in to dig out a stack of books. "..There's a joke book, and a couple of bigger ones. I wasn't sure what you'd like, but I did what I could." He offered them to her, still not meeting her eyes.

Taking the books and looking through them, she isn't sure what to say. After a while, she reaches over and takes his hand in her own, his gaze meeting her's as she looked up. "Thank you Joel, they are.. thank you." He grins at her, only nodding in response.

Then it hits her, something she should have remembered way before this. "Oh! I got something for you too, back at the house." Taking off in a hurry, she pulls him after her, barely giving him enough time to snatch up his pack from the ground. Reaching the house, she bolts in through the door, hurrying over to the couch.

Joel, still in the doorway, watches her curious while she grabs the case, spinning around with a wide smile on her face. "Maria told me about your birthday..and I don't know if this is the right day or anything..but.. happy birthday!"

He didn't say anything as he took the case from her, laying it on chair in front of him so he can open it. Inside is a beautiful old guitar, still in good condition. It was better than he had hoped to find for her out in Rexburg. It's just..

"Do you like it?" Her voice is so earnest, so bright and cheerful, it twists the knife a little further into his heart. He just gave a quick nod, not evening daring to reach for the instrument.

Instead, he looked right at the girl next to him, and mumbled out a pathetic excuse. "I'm exhausted. Good night, kiddo." Without even looking back, he walked into the other room, pulling the faded picture from his shirt pocket before placing it next to the rest of his things. With a heavy sigh, he slid down onto his mattress.

Ellie just stared after him, her grin slipping into a frown. _What did I do wrong? _Scrambling over to look at the guitar inside the case, she just grew more frustrated. It all looked good and in order, it wasn't broken or anything. _What's his problem?_

After a long while of silently stressing, she just glared and followed him, collapsing down on her own dirty mattress. Frustration and anger kept flaring inside her, and she embraced them, wanting nothing more than to roll over and throw something at the man sleeping a few feet away. It took several hours to drift away to sleep, and every minute seemed like a lifetime as she questioned herself again and again. _What did I do wrong?_

* * *

She awoke the next day feeling better than she had for the last month. There was no lingering nightmare, no pain in her chest as she realized her guardian wasn't right next to her. Then last night crept into her memory, reminding her of how he had reacted to her gift. The unpleasant feeling caused her to rise from the mattress, glancing about with foggy eyes. Joel wasn't in the room, she knew that even before she wiped the sleep away from her vision.

Climbing to her feet, she moved to the doorway, stopping when she saw him. He was sitting on the couch, guitar in his lap, slowly tweaking the knobs at the top of it. Ellie stayed quiet until he noticed her, sucking in a surprised breath. "Mornin', Kiddo." _Oh fuck you, just act like you don't remember last night._

"Morning." She remained where she was, leaning against the wooden frame and watching him, silently fuming about his actions. Her anger just grew and grew while watching him work on the instrument before she burst. "You don't have to pretend to like it, Joel."

His brown eyes flit up to her, filled with surprise. "I ain't pretendin'..I love it, it's..very thoughtful."

"You sure? You didn't act like you loved it last night." Anger had slipped into her voice now, drawing a much more careful stare from the man across the room. _I'm so tired of his bullshit, I'm really trying here._

She sees the lie before he even starts. "Ellie, I'd just got back after a month ou-"

"Bullshit, Joel. What is it about me that you just can't stand, huh? You call me 'baby girl' and open up to me, then slam a wall down the second I get close." She was yelling at him, her hands clenched at her sides down, having stepped into the room.

Joel didn't get angry, he didn't yell back, he just sat the guitar down to the side, leaning forward to run his hand through his hair. "It's not anythin' you do..It's just. Hell, the last birthday I celebrated was right before the outbreak. It's not somethin' that I can just-" He runs one hand over his watch, and that clicks the whole thing into place for her. Something about him she had known all along, and had simply refused to acknowledge.

"_It was right after everything went down, I ended up in a triage just like this." He had said that in Salt Lake, just after they'd seen the giraffes."Man, everywhere you looked you just.. saw families torn apart. Whole damn world seemed to have turned upside down in a blink."_

"_Is that after you lost Sarah?" It was one of the few times she had asked about her directly._

"_Yes it was.."_

Looking down, Ellie wrung her hands together, the next memory she thought of was one of the first with Joel.

_He's just laying there, 'killin' time', apparently. As she walked past, she has to speak up. "Your watch is broken."_

His sad sigh confused her then, but not now. _Now I'm just the asshole who keeps reminding him of his dead daughter. Probably one of his last happy memories. Sure, Joel, let me just shit on that for you._

He's still trying to explain himself without actually saying anything, struggling for the words to describe how he was feeling. She had to speak up. "Joel, just stop." He looked up at her, looking confused and worried. She meets his eyes almost fearfully, not wanting to see the pain in them. Not again. "..I'm such an asshole, I'm sorry. I should have realized that the watch was-"

"It-it's fine, Ellie. I never told you." He's quick to cut her off, but not this time.

"No, stop making excuses for me." She snaps at him without meaning to, she's just tired of being let off the hook with him. Walking right up to him and taking his hands in her's, she takes a moment before speaking again. "I'm sorry Joel..I should have realized how much this would hurt you a long time ago.."

His voice is quiet, but his smile is one that is grateful. "That's alright." He squeezes her hands before pulling away, reaching over for the guitar. Ellie slides onto the couch next to him, leaning into him slightly as he returns to tuning it. The silence isn't uncomfortable as he strums the strings once, adjusting the knobs before trying again.

He continues doing this for a while longer until he nods with satisfaction. "There we go, it's in tune. As close as it's gonna get, anyway."

"You still need to sing for me after I saved your ass at that university." Ellie teases gently, and only after she says it does she realize it's the first time she has talked about that time. It was so natural, and it didn't immediately bring the cold feeling of hopelessness back to her. _Brick by brick, right. Thanks __Charlie._

Joel laughs quietly, shaking his head. "Y'know, I never actually agreed to that." He seemed to realize the same thing she did, because he takes one look at her, gives a sad smile, and falls silent, staring at the carvings on the face of the guitar.

After a long minute, he moves one of his hands down the neck, keeping the other near the strings. He began to play, still looking at the guitar as the slow, somber notes sound out. Then, he opens his mouth, singing the first line to whatever song he was playing. "I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel." Ellie stops breathing for a moment, his voice, which is usually gruff and to the point, is beautiful. She hadn't ever noticed until now. "I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real. The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting."

Her eyes move down to his fingers, watching them craft the notes that flow so wonderfully into each other. Then to his face, watching the raw emotion of the song play out in his brown eyes. "Try to kill it all away.." He looks up and out the window at this, and she could swear she saw tears forming. "But I remember, everything." The tempo picked up, his fingers moving a bit faster over the strings.

"What have I become? My sweetest friend. Everyone I know, goes away, in the end." Now the notes played a little louder, building up as he continued to sing. "And you could have it all, my empire of dirt. I will let you down, I will make you hurt." On the last word, the song slows again into the somber notes from the beginning.

"I wear this crown of thorns, upon my liar's chair." Joel looks back down at the guitar as he plays, and she can see the tears now, pooling up before spilling over. Somehow, he turns the sadness around and forges it into his voice. "Full of broken thoughts, I cannot repair. Beneath the strains of time, the feelings disappear."

His eyes glance over and meet her's for just one moment. One instance, and Ellie can see the pain in them, but also the love as he looks at her. She can feel it too, the warmth of knowing that this man did truly love her, despite given enough reasons not to. "You are someone else.. I am still right here."

Again, the notes picked up speed. "What have I become? My sweetest friend. Everyone I know, goes away, in the end." The sound of his voice almost breaking made her heart skip a beat, and for the first time she realized that tears were falling down her face as well.

"And you could have it all. My empire of dirt.." He was tapping his foot to the beat now. "I will let you down, I will make you hurt.." This time, the faster part continued. "If I could start again, a million miles away. I would keep myself, I would find.." The tempo dropped suddenly, and he looked up from the instrument, putting so much emphasis on the last words it made a sob escape from Ellie's throat. "..a way."

The song was over, and Joel took a deep breath before looking over at the girl next to him. He smiled, giving a soft laugh at the way she was wiping at her eyes. She finally met his gaze, and her lips curled up in a smile. It was there he saw the girl he had met back in Boston. The smile lit up her face, and her eyes filled with such emotion he felt like weeping.

"Thank you, Joel." _  
_

He just shook his head. "Listen, kiddo. I've held on to Sarah's death for a long time, and it has shadowed everything since that day..but you.." He laughed, or sobbed, she wasn't sure which. It didn't matter. "You changed everythin' for me." _Thank you for letting me share, Sarah. I wish I could have met you._

Leaning into him, the little girl wrapped her arms around his, holding him close. "Glad I could help." He turns slightly to kiss the top of her head, using his free hand to gently lower the guitar back into the case. It took a few minutes for her to ask him the question she had wanted to since giving him the guitar. "Good birthday?"

Looking towards the window to see the sunlight filtering in through the window, he grinned, blinking away the last of his tears. "Good birthday."

* * *

**Author's Note: And here is the third chapter. Hope you guys are enjoying it so far. The song I've used in this chapter is "Hurt" by Johnny Cash, a cover of a Nine Inch Nails song. Update: Just fixed some strange words that were out of place, never edit when tired. Also added a line near the end.**

**Please, feel free to leave a review, or fav the story, or follow it. I want to hear from you. What do you like? Where do you think the story is going? Let me know, and thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Winter

**Author's Note: So...Yeah, another huge chapter I'm breaking into parts. The outlines I've made explode into content, so hopefully Chapter 5 will be up sooner than this one was. This chapter was also difficult to write, as you'll see why. Anyway, let me know what you think! Warning: Violence and language to follow, this is why it's rated M.**

Chapter 4

Winter

October – 2034 – Jackson, Wyoming

The first snowfall of Winter had reached Jackson. With white fluff coming down all around, the town had grown quiet, with the people bundling up together indoors. Several families moved into spare bedrooms in others houses, as heating was an issue in the more rundown buildings. The last few weeks had seen a lot of activity, with over three supply teams out at a time, returning with the provisions to survive the harsh season.

Ellie was standing on the porch outside her house, dressed in a dark green coat, it's hood lined with a brown fur. Relatively new jeans she had traded her last rabbit for, and some light boots that barely fit, brought back by Joel from Rexburg. With her hands stuffed into the warm pockets, she just watched the snow cascade down. The silence over the area had a remarkable calming effect to the usually active teen, it was even surreal. She breathed in the chilled air, eyes closed to enjoy the vibrant feeling it gave her. _Brick by brick._

The door behind her opened, it's wooden frame creaking as a heavy figure filled it. "Hey kiddo, you ever gonna come back inside?" She had been out for hours, just shifting weight from one foot to the other as she watched the snow blanket the town. It made sense that he would be worried.

Turning back with a smile, her cheeks and nose a rosy red from the temperature, somehow highlighting the dash of freckles across her cheeks. "It's just so peaceful out here." Joel chuckled, nodding as he looked out over the white landscape. Even when it had snowed in Boston, it was still noisy, still busy. Peace was never a natural thing for that city.

"That it is. Now come on in before you catch somethin'." Ellie frowned slightly, beginning to tilt her head to do that guilt-trip look she knew worked on him. "Now don't start, dinners ready."

Two cans of stew cooked over a kerosene fire, that was tonight's 'dinner'._ Well, I don't stick with Joel for his cooking skills, that's for sure. _She looked back out as the snow continued to fall before turning slowly and falling into her first step towards the house, shoulders slouching. "You left some color in this batch, right?" She wasn't really complaining, she was way too used to it by now, but it was all worth it to hear that laugh from him.

* * *

Last night had been the first snowfall of the year for her. It was on the branches, on the rocks, layer upon layer covering the ground. It crunched beneath Kayce's feet as she moved forward, her bright, sky blue eyes surveying the forest around her. The unnatural silence that fell on an area after a snowstorm always bothered her. Nature was supposed to be alive and flourishing, not this dead quiet.

"You hit five feet. And even that's a maybe." The voice sounded unreasonably loud against the stillness. Coming from the boy next to her, he moved a raised hand from his hairline down to her head, nodding and laughing at the distance. He was rambling on about something completely not important at the time, and if any game were around when they got here, he had scared them off.

Looking over with a glare, she readjusted her hold on the rifle in her hands. "Marcus, do I need to shoot you to get you to shut up?" He was right, she was even a bit below five feet, but she was only fifteen, there was room for growth.

"Hey now, Kayce, I'm just saying that Zac is like a full foot taller than me. You've got a lot of catching up to do." He held up his hands in a sign of mock surrender.

"God, you are such a dick." But, she couldn't help letting out a small laugh, her lips curling into a smirk for a long moment._ Zac. Always in the shadow of dear old Zac. _The grin faded quickly.

From her dirty blonde hair, done up into a messy ponytail, to her skinny limbs and figure, the only thing she had in common with Zac physically was what lay in her veins. _Daddy. _How long had it been since she had even thought of him as that? _A long, long time. Been even longer since he deserved it._ Kayce just sniffed, bringing a hand up to wipe at her nose, which was starting to run from the cold. "We going to get on with this? The other hunters have probably returned to camp by now." She didn't like this season, not even a little bit. Her clothing wasn't exactly built for it, either.

The only thing she really had on for warmth was a light jacket of a dark gray color. It kind of did the job, it was too big for her, and she had to constantly readjust the sleeves. Her gloves kind of helped, but the black leather didn't provide much warmth, and they only covered her fingers to the first joint. "Fine, let's get to it. You are no fun today." The older teenager just shrugged his shoulders at her as she returned to moving forward through the trees. Sunlight reflected off anywhere there wasn't shade, making it difficult to see past a certain distance.

The minutes rolled by in a lazy bubble of nothingness, with her companion remaining the silent she usually would have hated, and bugged him about. Not today though. _I just want to get back to camp, and curl up next to a fire. I hate winter._ A crack shattered the silence of the landscape, and something showered her left arm. Turning to see what had caused it, Kayce saw Marcus fall backwards, most of his face obliterated by the rifle shot. _Blood. Marcus' blood. _It was covering her jacket. She raised the rifle, scanning the area the sound had come from, then she spotted the glint of light off the scope in the distance. _Oh no, Scavengers. What are they doing all the way out here? _

Zac had told her about men like these. _"Scavengers who attack on sight aren't worth feeling guilty over. They are vicious, depraved animals who will resort to the lowest depths on a moment's notice. If you come across them, shoot to kill." _

_I've never killed anybody that wasn't infected though, and even then they didn't look human! What do I do? _Instead of retaliating, she ran for the nearest tree that was big enough to use as cover. Another loud crack sounded, and the bark next to her exploded, sending splinters flying about in a chaotic maelstrom. _Why are they out here, there's nothing here! _She finally dared to lean out from the other side of the tree, catching a glimpse of the one with the rifle. He was standing on a rocky outcropping, aiming down into the area where she was. She could hear him shouting down to his friends. "No, no, she's behind the tree! Go get her!"

The sounds of crunching footsteps behind her made her turn, raising her rifle at the man charging her with a machete. The stock hit her shoulder, and she fired on pure instinct, watching in horror as the bullet rocketed into the man's chest, giving a sickening sound as blood exploded out behind him. He was thrown back onto the ground. The sniper on the cliff yelled out again. "The little bitch killed Doug! Get her already!" Another one showed himself to her left side, emerging from between massive rocks covered in snow. Pulling the bolt on her rifle back, she took aim again, squeezing the trigger. His blood spattered the hillside behind him, and she felt her stomach roll. W_hy are they doing this? Oh god, I killed him._

Panic began to seep in as she leaned out, planning to fire a quick shot at the man on the ledge before running the other way. A hand grasped her barrel, pulling the rifle from her. Kayce stumbled back, hands flying to her hip and the holster belted there, drawing the pistol within. She fired once, hitting the man in front of her in the lower leg as his hand connected with the gun, slapping it away from her. With no weapon, she turned to run, sprinting through the trees as quick as she could to avoid getting a rifle round in the back. Adrenaline was pounding through her at this point, fear taking over as she ran from her assailants. _What do I do, where do I go?_

Then something slammed into her back, bringing her into the ground roughly. The man she had shot had caught her. She rolled over as quickly as she could, but he was on her in a second, his large hands closing about her throat as he straddled her. _No!_ She tried bringing her knee up between his legs, only managing to connect to his uninjured thigh, but causing him to yell in rage anyway. "Oh you are going to wish you didn't try that!" His grip pressed into her windpipe even harder, cutting off her air supply completely as she gasped and flailed. Letting go of one of his wrists, she felt down along his right leg, finding the bullet hole before digging her fingers into it.

With a howl of pain, he lost his hold on her, letting her suck in a breath, her free hand going to her throat as she began coughing. The relief was short lived as he turned back and punched her right in the face. Kayce cried out, blood starting to flow from her nose. Pulling frantically with her hand in his bullet wound, she could feel the flesh begin to rip. In response, the man slammed his fists into her sides repeatedly. She lost count of how many times he landed a solid hit, but when she didn't relent on tearing his wound, he finally got off her. "You little bitch!"

She turned over to her stomach, raising herself up to her hands and feet in an attempt to get away. Her breath came in short, pained gasps. The hits had knocked the air from her, and she was still coughing from his attempt at strangling her. He kicked her in the side as hard as he could with his good leg, putting her down for a long moment. On shaky hands, she began to push herself back up when he took a step back and kicked her hard enough to hurl her over onto her back. Kayce lay there, unable to clearly focus, her vision swimming.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she processed two others arriving, one of them was the man who had been on the ledge. She felt their hands close about her arms, hauling her up. When she savagely fought back against their capture of her, they slammed her into a nearby tree, holding her up. "Whoa, she's a scrapper, isn't she?"

The one with the bullet wound turned, pulling a knife from his belt. "Oh, I'm gonna make her suffer for it, believe me." He got right in her face, rotating the tip of the blade near her eye, reveling in the fear he saw there. "We were just going to kill you and take your weapons, but you had to make that difficult, didn't you?" Dragging the tip of the knife from her cheek to the top of her shoulder, he let her feel the blade tip slowly slip into her flesh before ripping it down the side of her arm. Kayce couldn't do much more than struggle and scream in pain, a cry that slowly fell into a pathetic whimper. They drew satisfaction from that, laughing at her helplessness. The one with the knife just gave a dark grin. "Listen to her squeal."

He moved the knife up to her face again, causing her to flinch away, her blue eyes focusing on the red that dripped down the blade. _My blood. _Tapping the knife against the girl's chin, her attacker gave a thoughtful expression. "You know, we could do _so _many things to you out here. No one to hear you scream." Her eyes widened as what he meant truly dawned on her, and she renewed the struggle against the two men holding her as he got closer. "Hold her down, boys."

She could smell his stench, he's was so close. His free hand grabbed her hair, forcing her gaze back to him, while the hand with the knife went to her throat. Kayce shut her eyes as tight as she could. _No, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. _His lips pressed to her's, renewing the sick feeling in her stomach tenfold. His body followed, pushing her against the tree as she tried to sink away from him. With no escape, anger suddenly boiled through her whole being, pushing out the fear, and the disgust.

This shock, this violation, it brought her back into focus, reviving her will to fight against it. With a growl, she brought her knee up between his legs again, this time not missing. Stumbling back from her, the man yelled in furious agony. _This is my chance._ As both her captors watched their friend, she pulled her right arm toward her chest, bringing one of Scavengers close enough. She bit him on his bare arm, hard enough to break the skin.

His hand left her wrist, only to return in the form of a rough backhand that sent her flying into the other man holding her. Her free hand searched desperately for a moment, grasping her goal, tucked into the front of his pants. The pistol, smaller than her own, had the weight of a loaded gun. She fires once, and the remaining grip on her arm loosens. _Let go, you bastard! _Squeezing the trigger again, she finds herself completely free. Kayce pushes past the man, knocking him over as she begins to run. She fires a blind shot behind her to delay the remaining Scavengers. It was satisfying to hear them cuss as they scurried out of the way.

"I said hold the cunt down! After her!" That was the man who had.. _Oh god._ She could hear them behind her as she sprinted up a small ledge. Turning, she shoots twice, causing them to scramble for cover again. They take a second too long to recover, and she continues running, giving herself a significant lead.

Crossing up and over a hillside, she slides behind a rock, chest heaving as she struggled for breath. _Focus Kayce, focus. Get control of yourself. _If only it was as easy as saying it, that strange anger still gripped her, casting a haze over her thoughts. But the training her father had hammered into her took over, causing her to pull the magazine from the pistol and check how many shots she had left before slamming it back in. Setting the weapon down on her leg, she unzipped and tore off the ruined jacket, taking a long look at her bleeding arm. _Oh man, that's a really bad cut._

"Look, her footprints lead right up here!" The sniper was yelling from the other side of the hill, breaking her from her thoughts. They had found her, or were close. _I have to move._ Launching herself up from the rock, she bolted toward the dense brush behind her. It was tough to move through, and she could hear them yelling as they closed in.

* * *

"I heard 'em too. Sounded like it came from that direction." Joel pointed South, holding his rifle a bit tighter now. Tommy was with him, on what was supposed to be an afternoon walk through the valley, hoping to catch sight of something to hunt. Then, a series of gunshots had rang out across the quiet forest.

His younger brother had the radio in his hand, speaking to Maria down in Jackson. "Yeah, we heard 'em. We're gonna check it out, make sure the people on watch know about it." After a confirmation from his wife, he replaced the device on his belt and took the rifle from his shoulder.

Before either of them could move, a young girl burst through the brush ahead of them, skidding on the slick surface as she stopped. Her gun raised instantly, hands trembling, eyes wide with fear. They raised their weapons as well, and it was then that Joel actually looked her over.

She was young, probably around Ellie's age, dressed only in a dark t-shirt and tight jeans. She was in rough shape, too. An open wound was dripping blood from her left arm, a long cut from the base of her shoulder all the way to her wrist. Her face was bleeding from a few cuts along her cheeks and forehead, but the most noticeable was her nose, blood flowing freely down off her chin, and her split lip. Her mouth opened, and her voice sounded much more hoarse than he would have expected. "Please..don-don't make me do this." She hefted the pistol to emphasize her point. It was then Joel took note of why her voice sounded that way. Around her neck, already forming, were dark bruises. His breath caught upon this realization, having only seen that injury on one other person, last Winter.

Tommy spoke up quickly. "Whoa, hold on girl, we ain't gonna hurt you." She blinks, but keeps the gun leveled between the two of them. His younger brother was making the first move of lowering his rifle when the sound of someone else coming through the brush reached them.

"Where are you, you little slut?!" Two men ran into the clearing, stopping when the spotted they Joel and his brother. The man who had been yelling when he ran into the clearing was bleeding down his leg, and had a machete in his hand. They both went wide-eyed, and the one with the rifle turned and ran back into the brush, seeing that they were outmatched. Gripping his blade, the remaining Hunter growled before charging at the girl.

Joel reacted quickly, but not as fast as the young girl did. Swinging to face the Hunter the moment he had emerged, she had her gun on him, and her finger was on the trigger. As Tommy chased after the one who had run, this strange teenager fired once, the round striking the man in his uninjured leg, dropping him to his knees.

There was a long moment that Joel just had his rifle trained on the Hunter, who was staring at the girl as she glared at him. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then her expression turned to one of disgust. She pulled the trigger again, not stopping this time until the pistol clicked empty. Seven shots. He had seen this before, the violent frenzy to end the life of the one who had hunted her. _Ah hell, not again._ He moved over slowly, pulling the empty gun from her shaking hands and tossing it away. She didn't say anything, just pressed the back of one hand to her nose, sniffing quietly as she tried to stem the bleeding. In the distance, a rifle shot rang out, the only other sound for a long minute.

She sunk to the ground, uncaring of the ice all around her. Her free hand was pressed against her side, and her posture told him that more injuries lay unseen. Joel removed his jacket, carefully placing it around her shoulders. Bright blue eyes eventually looked away from the body, moving to lock gazes with him, and he was forced to look away. She was searching for something, some excuse for how why this would happen. _I don't got the answers, girl. World's messed up, has been for a while. You're lucky you didn't find out 'til now._

Tommy came back through the bushes, just nodding at Joel before looking to the ruined corpse on the ground, it's chest torn open by the close range rounds. His gaze trailed to the girl, then back up to his brother, who only shrugged. _I ain't got no clue, Tommy. I barely got Ellie through this, and I don't even know this girl. _Luckily, his younger sibling was more approachable than he was. "Name's Tommy, that's my brother, Joel. We ain't gonna hurt you."

Her eyes met the gaze of the man talking to her, and Joel could see his brother was as unnerved as he had been. Finally, her coarse voice sounded again, though now much more quiet. "Kayce."

"Kayce? We're gonna take you to a nearby town, gonna get you some help, alright?" As Tommy took a step closer, the girl inched back, still holding her bleeding nose. "Hey now, we need to get you patched up."

Shaking her head, she looked between the two. "No. I need to get Marcus..h-his body." Every word brought another look of pain from the teen, now holding her side tighter. "Can't leave him."

Joel spoke up. "I'll take her back."

His brother raised an eyebrow when he looked back at him, but gave a nod. "I'll be right behind you." Taking off through the heavy foliage again, Tommy disappeared as the girl, Kayce, looked up at Joel.

"Can you walk?" His voice was gentler than before as he slung his rifle over his shoulder.

She sniffed, moving her hand away from her nose and to the ground, struggling to push herself back onto her feet. When Joel moved to help her, she shot him a glare that stopped him in his tracks. _Alright then._ Managing to stand, she waited for him to move until she followed him closely. Every few steps he looked back to make sure she was still with him, and every time he did he saw a little bit more of damage she had sustained. It wasn't all physical. _The shit I can see might be the best of the damage. Fuckin' Hunters._

Moving down a small hill, he turned just in time to catch her as she fell forward. Kayce didn't flinch away, she didn't scream, she just held on to his forearm as tight as she could. After a moment, she shook her head, unable to stand on her own anymore. Joel wrapped an arm just under her shoulders, around the back, and used the other to support her knees before lifting the teen into the air quickly. The girl sucked in a breath, whimpering softly. The whole thing reminded him of Ellie after he had found her in the burning steakhouse, memories he had pushed away. Of the Winter they never talked about.

The way she had limped for about a week after that. The bruises he had seen across her back when he had tended to her injuries. The ribs she had probably cracked or broken that didn't heal for a month or two. _And then she hacked the fuckin' animal up. No girl should go through that. _Thinking back to when the Hunter had charged Kayce, he frowned. _I should've just shot him._

It was then he realized her blue eyes were fixed on him, even though they were filled with pain. Studying him with a strange intensity, as if he were a puzzle. As if she could see what made him tick, but was struggling to understand why it drove him. It unsettled him, and Joel had to look away.

They came to the trail that lead straight down to the main road. "Not much further."

* * *

Ellie was scanning the hillside through her scope, when news filtered around that Joel and Tommy were investigating the gunshots they had all heard earlier. _You know, at some point, he has to realize that taking me hunting is a good idea. _The valley had been silent since that last rifle shot, and the stillness that had settled over it was making her itch. _Maria would radio me if anything happened._

"Ellie, get down and open the gate." As if on cue, the older woman's voice came through her radio, and fear lanced into her heart at once. "Tommy radioed in, Joel's bringing in someone hurt."

Pulling the radio from her coat pocket, she took a breath to calm herself before speaking. "Is Joel okay?"

"I don't know." _Tommy would've told her. Calm the fuck down Ellie, come on._

She threw the rifle over her shoulder, heading to the ladder. Moving fast enough she almost slipped off the icy rungs, she ran over to the gate control. Her finger came down on the button more times than would ever be necessary, and she watched the gate slowly slide open. _There he is. _Joel was jogging towards the town, carrying someone in his arms.

As he neared, she could see his jacket draped around the small figure, and the blonde ponytail that bounced with each step. _Who in the hell?_ He stopped just in front of her, breathing heavily. "Ellie. Know where Judy is?"

"Um..last I heard she was setting Danny's broken leg. She's over at Nate's." She strained her neck a bit to get a better look at whoever he was holding, failing to do so.

"Goddammit.. Take her to Judy's house, get her cleaned up as best you can." He slowly lowered the person he was carrying, letting the small tennis shoes get their balance. _It's a girl. She doesn't look much older than me. _He supported the girl with one hand, waiting for the other teenager to take her.

_And that's a fuckton of blood. _"Joel, I-"

"Ellie!" He snapped at her. "Do as I ask." Caught off guard, she slipped under the girl's shoulder, taking her completely off his hands. Joel in turn took the rifle from her shoulder, tossing it to one of the many onlookers. The smaller girl fell against her wearily, making a pained noise as she did. _He seems really invested in this. _That only gave her one more burning question. _What the fuck happened out there? _

"To Judy's." Ellie looked Joel right in the eyes. "I got this." He gave a nod, his trust in her removing any hesitation, and he ran off toward the stable She began moving forward as quick as she could without seriously hurting the girl, making her way to the house just up the street, thankful it was so close. _Well, this is easier than it was with Joel._

She reached the door in no time, letting go of the girl's hand for just a moment to open it. In that moment, the girl slipped just a bit, wincing as she did. "Sorry!" Taking the other's weight again, she used her foot to push the door inward. Luckily, the girl was able to stumble forward, and with Ellie's help, she was eased onto the bed in the back they used for patients. It was here that she got her first good look of the girl's injuries as Joel's heavy jacket fell away.

The girl's left arm had a huge gash down the side of it, and with it she was clutching her chest. From the way she had been walking, Ellie guessed her sides would be lined with bruises. _I've seen this before, on my own body. _It nearly paralyzed her, but she forced herself to keep looking. Her neck was mess of bruising, and her face was a disaster as well. Dried blood was smeared near her nose and mouth, making it hard to tell exactly where it was coming from. _Stop staring. _Removing her furred jacket, she draped it over the nearby chair, turning back to face the girl.

Reaching for the bowl of water and a rag on the table next to the bed, she watched the girl prop herself up on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. "So..I'm Ellie. I'm going to clean some of this off, alright?" _I have no idea what I'm doing. What do I say? She looks like she was attacked like I was. _"You're safe here." All she got for an answer was a nod. She wet the rag before wringing it, leaving it damp.

Unfastening the velcro straps of the girl's gloves, she pulled them off of the bloodied hands, placing them into one of the girl's front pockets. Taking up the rag again, she begun to gently scrub away the red. She took her time, slowly making sure that the skin was left it's natural color – a surprisingly healthy olive tone. The other teen flinched somewhat when the rag ran over the small cuts that lay on her fingers, especially when Ellie brushed the bruises that lay over the wrists. Finishing with her hands, she worked the rag up the gash on the arm, trying her best to clean just around it. Even being careful, it slipped over the raised edge of the cut. "Shit. Sorry!" The girl's eyes tightened in pain, but she didn't make any noise.

Done with the arm as best as she could be, she hesitated before moving closer to the teenager. She cupped one side of the other girl's face, wiping away at the dried blood. Eventually, she uncovered where the gore was coming from, a cut that traveled up from the tip to the bridge on her nose. _Holy fuck, that must have been a nasty hit._ It took a good minute, but she managed to clean the girl's chin as well. Only after she took a step back to observe her work did she notice that the other teen was staring at her.

Her eyes were a captivating blue, the color of the sky in Summer. They matched her dirty blonde hair and the light tan of her skin nicely, giving her an overall cute look. "Kayce. I-I'm..Kayce." The unexpected words, and the coarse sound of her voice threw Ellie off for a moment as she set the rag back in the water, the liquid having been dyed a light sanguine color. Her eyes snapped back to the other teen's as she turned.

Before she could answer, Judy entered the house, looking exasperated. "I swear, that man never knew the meaning of 'one minute'!" Striding into the room with a bag over her shoulder, she pointed at Ellie. "You, out." She threw the bag down at the foot of the bed, reaching in for what she would need.

Before she could comply, Kayce grabbed her hand, holding on to her tightly. The girl's voice sounded strained and weak, but not close to breaking. "No."

* * *

"What happened out there, Joel?"

He sighed, looking over at his sister-in-law. "I got no goddamn clue. Girl just came out of the forest, covered in blood." They were just outside the gate he had arrived in, waiting for Tommy to return. "Then she..hell, Maria.. I reckon what we didn't see was bad."

She made a disapproving noise, opening her mouth as if to respond, but fell silent instead. Joel was fine with it this way, he didn't want to talk about it. It reminded him too much of last Winter, of the parts he had seen, and the parts still left unknown. _How the hell am I supposed to talk to Ellie about this? _And yet, he had told her to take the girl to Judy's, and clean up her injuries. _Great thinkin' there, Joel._

"There he is." Maria's voice drew his eyes down the road, and sure enough, there was his younger brother. He was carrying the limp body of the boy Kayce had mentioned, and Joel could see more rifles over his back. As he neared, they both met his stride to enter the town, the gate closing slowly behind them.

His brother's face was drawn, and not from the strain of carrying the body. He handed the boy off to one of the men by the gate, taking a moment before turning to face them. "Managed to backtrack over her trail.. looks like they took him out with the first shot."

"How many Hunters?"

"Five total, two looked like she snagged 'em with her rifle." Tommy tapped one of the rifle straps on his shoulder. He ran a hand over his face, shaking his head slowly. "It looked like a lot of, I'm guessin' her blood, was pooled against a tree, right next to one of them who bled out.. it was a mess."

"Any idea what happened?" Maria's voice was quiet. Even with the raids on the town or the dam, she wasn't used to the level of violence that had become everyday for the two brothers years ago.

"You'd have to ask her, the snow made figurin' that out impossible." Tommy looked to his brother. _Yeah, I can guess too._ "How's the girl?"

"Ellie took her over to Judy's."

The younger brother swung two of the rifles from his shoulder, offering them to Maria. "We'd best go tell her, then." Joel gave a nod in agreement, already turning towards the old nurse's house when Tommy spoke up again. "Also found this."

Looking back, he saw pistol in his brother's hands. It was almost the same model as his own, but it had been maintained much better. "The girl's?"

"I'd say, judgin' by where I found it."

Taking it from him, Joel looked it over closely. "Hunters don't bother much with cleanin'. Looks almost new. Military issue, too." _Where'd she get her hands on this?_

Tommy nodded. "Figured she might want it back."

Remembering the man she had emptied the other pistol into, and the look on her face when she at moved her gaze to him after, Joel shook his head. "I'll hang on it it, for the time bein'. She ain't exactly in a good place right now." He clicked the safety on, tucking it into the back of his waistband.

"Your call." Jerking his head toward Judy's, his younger brother began moving off. "Let's go."

* * *

Kayce sat through the administrations of the old nurse without speaking, not since her simple plea for the other girl to stay. _Ellie, that's her name._ With hair the color of rust, and a splash of freckles across her cheeks, Ellie didn't seem much older than her, but somehow seemed more mature. It was her eyes, the deep green that expressed an incredible amount of emotion. Still, Kayce could tell that there was pain in them, something about this situation was pulling her into an unpleasant memory. At times, it was hard to tell who was holding the other's hand.

The old woman, Judy, was busy with a needle, stitching up the gash down her left arm. Every tug of the needle was a new wave of agony that she suppressed, tracing imperfections on the ceiling, or studying the girl on the other side of the bed. A dirty tropical shirt over a long-sleeved black undershirt, both were torn in places. _She likes those. A lot, by the looks of them._ Her eyes traveled down to the the hand in her own, to the pale skin that was lightly tinted with the blood she had cleaned from Kayce.

She could feel something odd about the palm, it was uneven and rough in the middle, but soft from there on out. _A scar._ Her gaze was drawn up to the other scar, right through the brownish-red eyebrow. Ellie caught her staring, again, and gave a bright smile. It did wonders, focusing on the way the smile lit up the girl's face, the pain faded away completely for a few moments. Then another tug of the needle came, drawing her eyes right back to the ceiling, biting her lower lip to avoid crying out.

Kayce's mind tried to wander to what had happened a few times, but she forced it back to the present by breathing hard enough it hurt. She grounded herself with the pain, trading the eventual emotional trauma for sudden physical. It was a stall at best, she knew, but it was worth not facing the day's events. _You're a coward. Zac wouldn't have trouble with something like this._

"Did you hear me, girl? I'm going to need to you let go of Ellie and take off your shirt. I need to see the damage." The older woman was talking to her. _I'm not letting go, you have no idea how much it's helping._

Taking a long look at the bloody stitches up the side of her arm, her gazed move first to Judy, then to the girl holding her hand._ I'm not letting go. And my shirt is staying on._ "No." It was all she could manage, and her voice still sounded like her vocal chords had been ripped out, dragged over rocks and thrown back in. "I'm fine."

"Listen here, if we don't get-"

Ellie interrupted her. "Just check for anything broken, Judy, if she says she's fine.." The other girl emphasized each word with careful nuance. The nurse didn't have any difficulty reading between the lines, but it took a few seconds for Kayce to realize what the other teenager was really saying, feeling transparent in front of how much the girl had inferred.

Judy moved quick, moving her hands over Kayce's chest, down each rib. She had to press into the girl's many bruises, and it was all she could do to not scream at the old lady. The last two ribs on her right side caused her to yelp when they were tested. "I thought so.," The woman gave her a pitying look. "A few ribs are bruised, but not broken."

Ellie tilted her head. "Is that bad?"

"It'll take about a month to heal right, and that's if she rests, and if that cut doesn't get infected. Her body can only do so much." The door opened, but the nurse continued on, looking over the other injuries. "Her bruises will mend, but we should keep an eye on them. Ice them occasionally. All the bruises, got it girl?" She gave a nod, just a tired raising and lowering of her chin. "And don't scratch at the cut on your nose, it should heal pretty quickly if it doesn't open again. Not much else to do for it."

Closing her eyes and sinking back into the pillow, Kayce just wanted to hide from the pain. _Someone knock me out, please._ She heard the nurse leave the room, moving to talk to whoever had come into the house. "How is she?" The voice belonged to one of the men who had found her in the valley, the one who had carried her. It was gruff, but warm.

"She's been through a lot physically. I've done what I can, but she needs rest. A lot of it. And I can't treat what I can't see. Seems to trust your girl though, maybe she can help with that." The sound of things being piled into a bag reached her, and Judy continued. "Now, I left that stupid boy in the care of my harebrained assistant." There was a silence that fell over two remaining as she heard the nurse leave.

She opened her eyes, pushing herself up to a sitting position. It hurt, and it took quite a bit of energy. The only reason she was able to was Ellie, who put her free hand on Kayce's shoulder to help her up. She looked over at the two men as they approached her, breathing as shallow as she could manage to avoid agitating the injured ribs.

She kept her hold on Ellie's hand, just in case they tried getting the other girl to leave. The younger one, Tommy, spoke up. "Brought back the boy's body."

Taking in a deeper breath, she replied as quickly as she could. "T-thank you. For out there.. A-and bringing him back."

The older brother looked at the held hands between the two girls. "Where'd you come from?" His gaze locked with Ellie's for a moment, and there was something in his eyes. _Sympathy? Pity? Why for her though?_

She remained quiet, and it was Ellie's voice that came next. "You can trust us, we just want to make sure your group knows where you are." Another smile came from the girl, and Kayce couldn't help but believe her. _Don't got much choice anyway._

It took a few moments, but she finally answered. "Was out hunting.. We're camped just sou-south of here, an old rest stop." Every time she had to stop and breathe, it felt like another fresh punch to her chest.

The two brothers looked at each other, and Tommy nodded. "I know the place, I'll send a couple of our boys out to bring someone back. That gonna work?" He was looking at Kayce now, who gave a nod of her own.

"They won't.. shoot on s-sight. Ask for Zac." _Ask for my dad. _She hated telling them that, hated that she wanted him there, more than anything.

"Will do, I'll let 'em know." Tommy turned and exited the house, causing another blast of frigid air to pass through the room.

Joel sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. He looked worn out, not tired or anything like that, just frayed around the edges by what had happened today. "Alright Ellie, they're gonna need this bed for Danny, take her to our place." His eyes went to the injured girl. "That work for you?" Another nod. _What am I gonna say, no?_

She turned, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. The effort made her head begin swimming again, and the soreness crept back into every ounce of her body. The arm that had been stitched up was on fire, flaring up as she tried to bend it. She moved the limb slowly, feeling the thread pull on her skin. Dried blood cracked as it neared the position she wanted, but Judy's work held together when she tucked the arm against her chest. Ellie draped the furred jacket she had been wearing over Kayce's shoulders, much as Joel had done before with his own. Looking up at the large man, she tried her best attempt at humor, forming a smile that quickly turned into a grimace of pain. "I.. I got blood on your coat."

Joel gave a small, breathy laugh. "Ain't the first time, girl." He picked up the jacket, holding it by its collar. "I'm gonna head out, make sure there aren't more Hunters lurkin' around."

Ellie took her good arm over her own shoulders, taking the weight with a small grunt. "Okay.. Be careful, Joel." The way she said his name, with such familiarity, caused Kayce to look between them a few times before she established their relationship with each other.

"I will, make sure she gets some rest." He spent a few more seconds making sure that she could handle the other girl's weight before he ran out the door.

"Think you're gonna be able to make it? It's not very far, but it's a walk."

"I think so.. Thank you, Ellie." She did her best to smile at the girl she was leaning on. _At least it's getting easier to breathe._

With a grunt as she opened the door, Ellie just laughed. It was a sound that almost sang to her, so bright and full of life, of playfulness. "It's nothing, don't mention it."

Their eyes met for a second, and Kayce frowned, there was pain buried within the green irises. _No, it is something. Taking care of me is hurting you. _But, no words came as the two stepped back out into the cold.

* * *

Their walk to the house was in silence, except for the sharp inhales that told her when she took a step too far. _How the fuck is she even standing? This would knock me on my ass. Hell, it did knock me on my ass. _Another twitch from the girl she was supporting told her something had hurt, and Ellie slowed down a bit. The town was mostly devoid of activity, with everyone talking to Maria about today's news rather than doing the daily work load, even though the sun was beginning to fall behind the hills. _Good, the last thing she needs is everybody staring at her._

Once inside the house, she guided Kayce to the couch in the larger room, setting her down gently. She left the jacket over the girl's small shoulders. "So yeah, this is mine and Joel's place..not much, I know. But it's home, and it's warm." The other girl brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. She wasn't even looking at Ellie. "Um.. need anything, Kayce?"

Looking down, the teen didn't respond, just holding her torn, bloodied jeans as tightly as she could. The other girl's shoulders began shaking, and it took Ellie a moment to realize she was crying. Easing herself down next to the girl, she hesitated before softly laying a hand on the quivering teen's back. Kayce nearly jumped into her arms, clinging tightly while burying her head against Ellie's chest. The smaller girl truly started to sob then, her tears soaking into the faded red shirt.

Wrapping both hands around the girl, it didn't take long for a few tears to roll down Ellie's cheeks as well. Whatever had happened to Kayce out there, she seemed to trust the other girl enough to openly weep against her. Stroking her back gently as she could, Ellie didn't say anything, not knowing anything that could help. _A hug isn't exactly going to solve anything. ..It's a start though._


	5. Chapter 5 - Birthday

**Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to get this one finished. I know I said it'd be quicker..but..well, it's freaking long. Also, sorry about the length of this chapter, but I had a lot of content I really wanted in. I fully expect to read through this and update it soon, as I'm sure I missed a few things within it. Hope you enjoy the read, and let me know what you think. Update: Changed some parts, fixed some mistakes.**

Chapter 5

Birthday

October – 2034 – Jackson, Wyoming

Night had fallen upon the valley, but unlike other days in Jackson, it didn't bring relief from the work of the day. There was a tension in everything, Joel could feel it. People were carrying their pistols openly, keeping them at the ready. It had been too long since the last raid on the town or power plant, they'd all grown careless. His search of the hills had turned up nothing in the several hours he'd been out, wherever those men had come from, no others had come to collect the dead.

Now, he was waiting anxiously with Tommy, leaning against one of the watch towers overlooking the south gate. The rest stop was no more than a few hours down the road on horseback, and Montana had taken an extra to bring back Zac, whoever that was, from Kayce's group. His brother broke the strained quiet first. "Alright, I'll bite. What's eatin' at you?"

Without looking over, he gave a curt reply. "It ain't important."

"You've been tense since we found the girl, Joel. And it ain't 'cause of any Hunters." One of the few people who actually knew him, his brother had the annoying tendency to notice things like this.

"It ain't shit, Tommy. Drop it."

"Alright, but that doesn't mean it's suddenly not on your mind." He was right, it had been a constant battle between his memories and his guesswork about last year.

Minutes passed in silence between the two, before Joel finally spoke up. "It's Ellie. This whole damn thing reminds me of last Winter, it's gotta be doin' the same to her."

"Shit. Tell me you at least talked about it with her?"

"We haven't, not one word." _And now I'm left worryin' if she's being torn apart inside like I am. _He shot Tommy a look.

Throwing up his hands, his brother scoffed. "Jesus, Joel. Sooner or later you're gonna have to tackle that one. Ellie's strong, but she can't hold that in forever."

"Don't you think I know that?" His voice was raised now, his own inability to help the girl he cared for projecting onto his brother. As Tommy turned to respond, Mark's head peeked out over the side of the tower they were leaning on.

"Hey guys, we've got three horses coming down the main road. Looks like Montana and Tyler, with one other." Like most of their arguments, whenever something more pressing came up, the entire conversation was just dropped. They moved toward the gate, with Joel pressing the gate control to open it. The three horses slowed to a trot as they neared, eventually stopping just in front of the two brothers, their riders dismounting. Montana just gave a look as he walked past them, leading his horse toward Nate's. Tyler took the time to grab the stranger's reins before following after the other man. Mark, and whoever was in the other tower, trained their rifles on the man. As a precaution, Joel made sure the pistol remained in it's place, tucked into the back of his waistband.

The man in front of them was clearly an experienced survivor. Though he almost rivaled Joel in height, he wasn't built quite as strong, not as bulky. He looked to be around Tommy's age, with brown hair that was cut to a couple inches in length, in complete disarray. His hairline was pushed back by a pair of goggles, the lenses surprisingly clear and well maintained. There was a long, jagged scar that stretched from just above his eyebrow to his jawline, laying just to the side of his left eye. His eyes were a deep hazel color, and the caution was easily read in them and in his posture. He kept his hand resting with one thumb tucked into his jeans pocket, right next to the pistol belted to his thigh.

Like the girl they had found, he wasn't quite dressed for weather this cold. A black leather jacket was his only covering for warmth, cracked and faded from years of use. In his search for weapons other than the pistol, Joel could see the edge of a gas mask hanging from the dark backpack the man was wearing. Finally, after a few moments of study from both groups, the stranger spoke first. "I hear you have my daughter." _Daughter? _He and Tommy shared a look before the younger sibling nodded.

"We do, my boys explained what happened?"

"After we made sure they were no threat, yes." The man's voice wasn't as low as his appearance would suggest, and much less gruff. The accent placed him as being from the mid-west. "We don't want any trouble from you or your group, I just want Kayce back."

"I understand, we're not lookin' for trouble neither. Name's Tommy, this is Joel, my brother." Joel nodded as he was introduced, still keeping a careful eye on the man.

"I'm Zac, as you already knew. Please..take me to my daughter." There was a subtle tone of desperation in his voice, and Joel had to give the man credit, he was keeping it together rather well. _Better than I did when it was Ellie._

"C'mon, it's just a short walk this way." Tommy moved off, with the other two men following. As they moved through the town, Zac studied the people that stared at him, and after a minute or so, he moved his hand away from the holster. He seemed fascinated by the whole place, his eyes frequently wandering around, and his entire posture growing less and less cautioned. Joel understood, having gone through something similar the first few days he was in Jackson. _Safety ain't a natural thing for anyone nowadays. _With Zac no longer looking like he would draw without a moment's hesitation, Joel relaxed as well.

* * *

Ellie yawned quietly, shaking her head to clear away the grogginess that came with it. _Gotta stay awake. _Every so often, Kayce would stir from her slumber, and so she would squeeze her hand gently, just as Joel had done last Winter for her. And just like it had for her, it would calm her down, taking away some of the pain and fear to allow her to slip back into sleep. The smaller girl was taking up most the couch, with her head laid down in Ellie's lap. She didn't mind, it was nice to be there for someone, even someone she didn't really know.

Time slipped by as she repeated the process again and again. Eventually, Kayce moved in the wrong way, her eyes snapping open as she let out a whimper, a hand flying to her chest as she moaned in pain. Ellie felt a pang of sympathy go through her, especially when those blue eyes found her. "Hey." It was such a pointless thing to say. Nevertheless, she did her best to don a friendly smile.

Settling back, hands still clutching at her chest, the girl took a long moment of closing her eyes and taking a shaky breath before reopening them and answering. "Ellie. You're still here?"

Chuckling softly, she gave a nod. "Of course, where would I go?" It was hard to seem carefree, as she constantly studied the girl's wounds.

"You don't have to worry about me." Her voice was still weak, and the bruises around her neck had settled into a fierce dark didn't sound as hoarse though. _Progress, I guess._

Ellie opened her mouth, looking for a witty comeback. Instead, she said something that surprised herself. "Well, I do worry."

"Hm." Kayce's answer didn't reveal much about what she was thinking, but the other girl's body sank back into the couch and her lap as tension faded away. "Hey, Ellie?" The girl had turned her head enough that she could spot the cut that lay along her nose.

_Fuck. Every time I see it, it seems worse. _"Yeah?"

"How'd you get that scar on your hand?"

Ellie couldn't help but let out another chuckle, looking down on the rough skin on her palm. It was jagged, deformed, and ugly. _Just another stupid mistake. _"I..uh, I cut it the fuck open on a rope."

The other girl gave a soft laugh, looking up from her lap. "A rope?"

"Yep. Was trying to use it to pull a deer I shot onto a horse's saddle."

The girl blinked before quirking an eyebrow at her. "Oh.. Did it work?"

"Badly, but yeah." She sighed quietly, looking away. "It worked." Her gaze was drawn back to the other girl when Kayce took the scarred hand in both of her own, running her fingers over the bumpy skin carefully before releasing it.

"How about the one through your eyebrow?"

"Why does it matter?" Her question barely slowed the other teen, who shrugged.

"I'm barely allowed to leave the camp to hunt, so seeing a girl my age with scars is..strange. And I'm curious. Things like this bother me until I figure them out."

Tilting her head, Ellie rose a hand to trace the scar that cut through one of her eyebrows. "School fight..I insulted a couple of guys and the fuckers beat me up. When I kicked one of them in the nuts, his buddy grabbed a rock and hit me." _Damn, that actually seemed important back then._

"Those guys sound like a bunch of pussies." _Pussies? I like this girl._

"Heh, yeah, they kinda were."

The smaller girl began pushing herself up to a sitting position, growling in pain as Ellie helped her up. Falling back to the couch and leaning against her, Kayce gave a weary sigh. "How long did I sleep?"

"Not long, only a couple of hours. The guys Tommy sent should be back soon." Even as she spoke, the door slowly opened to reveal Tommy, who stepped inside. Behind him came Joel and another man. _This must be Zac._

Kayce's breath caught when she saw him, and she looked shocked when he rushed over, pulling the girl towards him and embracing her. He pulled away to examine the injuries that lay over his daughter's body, and she could see his breaths become more forced as each new cut or bruise made him angrier. There was a fury in his hazel eyes, it was a fire that suddenly sprung into glorious, frightening life. And then it was gone, as his eyes trailed down the stitches that held the gash closed on her arm, he calmed. Turning to face the two men, his voice was quiet. "I can't thank you enough for this."

Tommy spoke up first. "We did what we could."

"Mind if I talk to you two in private?" The man looked at Joel and his brother, who both gave a nod. He then looked at the girl sitting on the couch next to his daughter. "Watch her, yeah?"

"You bet." Ellie watched the three men move down the hallway before looking at Kayce, who was wiping her eyes. "Zac seems pretty cool."

Laughing, the girl shook her head. "He is. Not the best dad, but he tries."

"He's your dad?"

"Yup."

Ellie blinked a few times, confused. "Oh.. You look almost nothing alike." Kayce's lips curled into a small smile as she leaned back against the cushions, the expression turning into a grimace.

* * *

Zac ran a hand over the light stubble on his chin, turning to face the other two. "Kayce is in no condition to travel, and the Scavengers are likely to be looking for their dead men.. My group can't move yet." Seeing their looks, he shook his head. "Look, I'll cut to the chase. We can't survive out there any more, not after.. We just can't, we need a place to stay. I've got surplus food supplies, and my people are-"

Tommy cut him off. "Okay."

"..Okay?"

"I ain't gonna turn away people in trouble. Maria won't object to a few days, after that, we can decide if you wanna stick around longer." It was to the point, and exactly what he had dared hope for.

"I..don't even know what to say." _Goddamn, after everything, we stumble on this place. _"I didn't think we could live like this anymore." He gestured with his hands, indicating he meant the whole place, the whole situation. A shaky laugh escaped from him, the build up of relief flooding through him.

The older of the two brothers, Joel, finally spoke. "We can get your people here tonight if we leave now. Ellie can watch your girl."

Zac hesitated, looking toward the front room. _She's done well so far. Trust has to be mutual here. _"Agreed. Let's head out."

"I'll run this by Maria." Tommy moved down the hallway before pausing. "How many people we gonna be lookin' out for?"

"A few dozen, the exact number is in the forties somewhere." _Minus one. _The man continued on, leaving the house as Joel and Zac walked back into the front room. The two girls looked up at them as they entered, and Kayce gave him a questioning look. "Tommy's offered to set us up for a few nights, so Joel and I are going to get the rest of our group."

His daughter nodded, and Joel spoke up. "You two stay here." He looked at his own girl, speaking to her in a much different tone than Zac had with his. "Make sure she gets some rest, yeah?" He nodded toward the room adjacent to the one they were currently in.

Zac walked over to the couch, bending to kiss the top of Kayce's head gently. "I'll be back, stick with Ellie." He looked at the other girl, who flashed a confident, bright smile, and gave him a nod. _You're leaving her in good hands, Zac, now get a move on._ Turning back toward the door, he lead the way out, looking at Joel. "Let's go."

* * *

Watching them go, Ellie looked at the girl next to her. Kayce was taking shallow breaths while keeping her stitched arm close to her chest. She seemed deep in thought, even jumping a little when her shoulder was tapped. She grinned at the startled expression. "How're you doing?"

The other girl almost smiled, shrugging lazily. "Well, I'm still here. That's something, right?" Her voice, still coarse, had a tone that seemed desperate, as if she really wanted an answer.

"It's a good thing, too." She bumped her shoulder into the other girl softly. "You should get some sleep."

"Yeah.. But I'm not making you sit on the couch all night, got a bed?" _You're the one hurt, stop worrying about me._

"Well, kind of. It's softer than the ground and I've got a blanket." She grinned, sliding off the couch and turning. "I'll help you get there." Bending, she took Kayce's good arm and lifted her up and away from the couch before taking her weight again. The girl made no pained noise this time, but her eyes narrowed. "Sorry, I'll try to be careful."

"Just go, I'm fine." Her voice sounded more like a growl than anything, but Ellie did as she said, moving toward the bedroom. _No, you aren't fine._

As she was gently set down on the mattress, Kayce looked over the room. Ellie watched her before speaking. "If you need anything, I'll be out on the couch."

"What? No!" Blinking, the girl looked surprised by her own outburst. "I-I mean.. There's another bed."

"Yeah, that's Joel's." Laughing softly, she shook her head. "The old guy needs it more than me."

"Ellie, you aren't sleeping on the couch." It was strange for someone so bruised and battered to seem so defiant. _Joel didn't give me this much trouble when he was hurt.. Then again he was out for most of that._

"Kayce. It's fine, really. I can just-"

"There's room, see?" It was true, the girl barely took up half the mattress as she moved closer to the wall. "Don't be an idiot, just lay down." Ellie's thoughts drifted back to last year, how she had barely been able to sleep at all, and only if Joel was right nearby. _Oh._

"Alright, geez." She slid down, making sure the blanket was more on the injured girl than her. The girl took one look at her before easing back into the pillow. Ellie just scoffed, making a makeshift pillow from her jacket and laying on her side, facing away.

After a few minutes of silence, she heard Kayce's breathing slip into an even, quiet rhythm._ Goodnight, you strange-as-hell girl. _It didn't take long for the draining day to catch up with her, and she fell into slumber as well.

* * *

The blizzard is blocking my vision, I can barely see a few feet in front of me. "Joel!" I cry into the wind, but there is no answer. Where is he? I run towards the building in front of me.

I know this place, and where I'm heading. This is where I dragged Joel onto a mattress, stitched him up and stayed by his side for weeks. My hand catches on the railing, using it to propel myself down the stairs. "Joel!" There he is, laying on the ground, still wounded and desperately needing medicine. There's someone else, too, a man. He's got one foot on Joel's chest and is aiming a Revolver at his head.

"No!" He fires, despite my screams. "You fucking bastard, you-"

He turns, his face covered in hair that is beginning to gray, with eyes that are somehow kind and filled with malice at the same time. I stumble back, the switchblade I pulled from my pocket still closed. "..David." No, he's dead. I killed him.

"Hello, Ellie." The way he says my name, with such affection, sets a chill into my bones. I turn and run, I should be faster, but he catches me, pulling me back against his body. I bite down into the arm holding me, causing him to cry out and drop me. It doesn't take long before I'm back through the front door, but I don't face the blizzard outside, like I expected.

I'm in the steakhouse, with the smell of cooked human flesh making my stomach churn. The air is acid as I breathe, smoke billowing up against the ceiling. Fire is spreading through the place. I find a corner, and slide down against the booth. "..Joel." I'm crying, bawling like a baby. He can't be dead. He's the one thing I've always expected to be there, my only solid point.

I hear footsteps on the side I'm not watching, and I spin quickly, choking down a sob. There he is, the animal, David. Something's wrong. Stalks of the fungus are sprouting from the left side of his face. My eyes look immediately to the hand I bit. The mark looks worse than mine ever did, worse than Tess'.

I caused that. "Don't cry, Ellie." I'm no better than a Runner. "It's gonna be alright." He slides the machete from his back, advancing on me. I can see more of the mushrooms pushing through his skin, blood spurting out and running down his face, but one of his eyes remains whole, fixated upon me. I run, wiping my eyes. I can hear the broken plates crack under his heavy footsteps, and I head for the door.

The fire has spread to much, and it's moving closer, I'm backed into the kitchen.

"You can try beggin'." He's blocking the other exit from this place, grinning with sadistic glee.

"Fuck you!" I look for any other exit as I yell at him, and then I spot it. It's an open window, wider than it is tall, only a few feet off the ground. He might cut me off though, and the machete blade will make mincemeat out of me, I can't defend against that.

"You shouldn't curse, you know. I'm sorry about your friend, I truly am. I hope you take comfort in knowing we won't waste any part of him." _Fuck it. _I run towards the window, my heart feeling like its going to beat until it explodes. "He'll feed a lot of people."

I scramble up the wall, my fingers barely reaching the window. I begin to pull myself over. Then his arm wraps around me, pulling me back down, holding me close. I struggle, I've never wanted to be further from anyone. He smells like death, and I can feel the infection growing through his skin and hardening. It's on his hands, his arms, everywhere, and I caused it. I stab down with my switchblade, into his knee. I'm able to break away and sprint for the exit from the kitchen.

I don't get far, his hand wraps around my shoulder from behind, and something slams into my back. Agony flares from my chest, and I feel incredibly weak all the sudden. My gaze falls downward, and I stare at the blade that has erupted through me, blood draining out from the wound. "How did you put it, hmm?" His voice is right next to my ear. "..Tiny pieces?"

My eyes close, and the last thing I feel is the blade draw itself from my back.

"Goodbye, Ellie."

* * *

Her eyes shot open, wide with fear. Someone was grabbing her by the shoulders, shaking her. "Don't fucking touch me!" She pushed at the other person, trying to escape. Resistance to her assault was minimal, and she was free, scrambling off of the bed and onto the cold floor. Then she heard the voice.

"Ellie!" It was Kayce. "Ellie, you were dreaming." She paused almost instantly, and the other teen backed away, holding her ribs gingerly. There was pain in the wide, sky blue eyes, and more sympathy than she deserved.

Still shaking and panting, Ellie began to raise her hand toward the girl, then stopped. "Kayce.. I-I'm sorry. It was a.." _Nightmare. From fucking hell. _"Bad dream." It didn't feel like she had been asleep for very long, and the view through the window was still black. Joel wasn't even back yet.

"Looked pretty bad to me." Kayce sounded calm, considering, but the pain was still apparent. Her words were strained, as if it was taking a lot of effort just to speak. "You were already thrashing when I woke up."

Shaking herself off quickly, she moved to the mattress, kneeling down and looking over the girl's stitches. The wound had more dried blood than when she had last looked, but it was still closed. "I'm.. dammit, I-I'll be on the couch." As she rose up to move toward the door, her hand was trapped by the other girl's.

"Not necessary." The voice was still ragged, and the thought that she had hurt the girl because of her own memories made her want to just go away in that moment. "Wanna talk about it?"

She was pulled down into a sitting position while shaking her head. "It's only a dream, it's not important."

"It seems like it is.."

Ellie glared at her, the memory of David still fresh in her mind. Kayce dropped her hand, looking frightened, and the glare faded into a guilty expression. "It's not. It's an old memory that won't stay where it belongs."

"Oh." Quiet for a moment, the other girl laid back. "Seeing me reminded you of it, huh?"

She nodded, red hair falling into her vision from the motion. "It was similar."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't fucking apologize, just don't." Sighing angrily, she fell back down onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "I could have tore your stitches open." She held onto the anger, using it to keep every other emotion at bay.

Kayce was quiet for a long time, studying the old nurse's handiwork down her arm. "Do you ever talk to Joel about it?" _Does she ever get tired of seeing people's secrets? _

"No." Ellie's response was meant to end the conversation, to let her stew in her own anger. The girl next to her, however, never did seem to react in a way she could expect. All it bought her was a gentle hand being laid down on her arm. When she finally looked over, Kayce was on her side, eyes still filled with sympathy. "Why do you care?"

"Why are you looking out for me?" A small smile crept over the teen's lips.

Ellie let a small, breathy laugh out. "So we're friends, huh?"

"I'd like to think so."

Taking a deep, calming breath, Ellie smiled. "Me too." She shifted, pulling the blanket back over her as the cold began seeping into her limbs. The minutes passed by slowly, but Kayce fell back asleep quickly after that, much to her relief. She held tight to the injured girl's hand, frowning as her mind drifted to thoughts of the past.

* * *

The sound of vehicles was strange, foreign to the sleepy town. The loud sputtering of the heavy engines was more than enough to put the people in the watch towers on edge, keeping a vigilant eye on the area surrounding the town. Four trucks with cargo covers, their metal covered in rust and jagged dents, the paint long since faded away. Two old Wrangler jeeps that looked in even worse condition, and a Humvee. That had caused quite a stir, an actual military Humvee, mounted with a gun turret. Unlike the rest of them, it didn't bear the decay of years.

Joel tossed a look at Zac, who was directing the traffic down the street of Jackson as the monster rolled by. He was running a hand over his face as the group drove or walked past him, it took the man a minute to look over, his eyes portraying the exhaustion that was being fought off. "We'll offload the weapons, and hand them over. As promised."

Nodding, Joel took another long look at the Humvee, adjusting the rucksack on his back as he did. _Gotta get used to this weight again, been too long. _"How in the hell did you manage to get that?"

"We've survived out there nearly twenty years, you pick up a few things." The answer was dodgy, distrustful, and exactly what he had expected. "Doesn't matter now, barely had enough fuel to limp here."

"Alright then." The sound of footsteps from behind caused them both to turn. It was a woman, probably in her early thirties, with brown hair cut to a length only slightly longer than Joel's and eyes that looked more akin to a brewing storm than anything else, it was an attractive combination. Unlike most of the survivors he had come across, she looked dressed for the season. Black cargo pants and a gray jacket lined in white fur served as her protection from the cold. Dark boots could be seen beneath the hem of her leggings as well.

"Zac, what is this shit? Luke just told me we're handing over all our guns. The fuck is wrong with you?" Her expression marred an otherwise good looking face, it was one of anger.

"The deal is we get them back in a few weeks, but don't even think I'm making this decision lightly." He spoke with a calm tone, stepping forward and meeting her fiery gaze with a contrasting even leveled one of his own.

She didn't back down, growing visibly more frustrated. "Look, the rumors are already going around. I know they took care of Kayce-"

His voice lowered in volume, almost so low that Joel couldn't catch what he was saying. "We have to trust these people. How much longer do you think we can survive out there?" Zac laid a hand on the woman's shoulder. "These are good people, they aren't like the others. Trust me, yeah?" She seemed to search his eyes for a long time before nodding.

"Of course. I'm still keeping an eye on them." She looked past the man in front of her to Joel. "No offense."

"None taken." _Yeah, I get it._

"You're Joel? The one who found Kayce?"

He looked to Zac with a raised eyebrow. "Girl stumbled on me and my brother, yeah."

She looked taken aback by this, her eyes running over him in a new light until a smirk formed on her lips, seeming impressed. "Thanks for taking care of her. See you around, _Joel_." Her emphasis on his name caused him to blink for a few moments before nodding.

Zac sighed heavily, shaking his head as she stalked off. "That would be Morgan." His chuckle was a little forced. "Parents were dead when I found her..wouldn't say I raised her, but it's been like having a teenager around all these years. Never one for manners."

"Seems like a handful." He watched her for longer than he should have, quickly looking away when she turned to talk to another of her group and spotted him. Even from this distance, it was easy to spot the grin on her face.

The other man's inquiring look was waiting for him when he turned to face the him. "She's worth it. Hell of a shot." Maria joined them, looking between the two men before speaking.

"Tommy and I talked to the town, most are in favor of you staying, if you behave." She was keeping an even tone, which was surprising, considering the storm she had kicked up arguing against it. Then she had met Zac. _He's got a way about him, no doubtin' it._

"I appreciate it. It's been a bit rocky the last few weeks, and finding a place like this.. We owe you more than you know." His voice was earnest to the last syllable.

"Got you guys a couple of houses, all together. Not exactly the best, but they'll do for now. I was skeptical of your group, but you seem like good people. Don't make us regret it." She continued on past them after that, leaving Zac to nod slowly at her words.

Joel watched him for a moment before taking the pack off his shoulders. He drew forth Kayce's pistol, offering it grip first to the other man. "Figure she should get it back, when she's ready."

Taking it slowly, Zac looked over the weapon with a careful gaze. "She hadn't killed anyone else before. There were infected, of course." He trailed off, bouncing the gun softly in his palm. "I should go put this in with the rest of them."

"I'm gonna go turn in for the night, check on Ellie and Kayce."

"I've still got a lot to oversee, I'll swing by to see her sometime in the morning." Still looking at the pistol, the man seemed reluctant to do even that. _Ain't your place, Joel, leave him be._

It was strange, watching this man he had only known for less than a day, but could identify with so easily. "'Night, Zac."

"Goodnight, Joel."

* * *

A week had passed, and Ellie hadn't seen Jackson so busy. With the new group slowly integrating into the small society, it was becoming apparent they were staying for good. They'd even been given their guns back. The vote unanimous for them to stick around, Jay had protested, but still voted for it. She suspected it was more because they had a lot of stuff than from the goodness of his heart. From guns to tools, to random junk they'd picked up over their years of travel. They traded some of it for warmer clothes, and the town's barter market boomed.

Surprisingly, the introduction of new people didn't cause as many problems as she thought it would. There had been a few conflicts, but Tommy or Maria were quick to settle things down before it reached physical blows. It was bound to happen though, the new group was even more diverse than Jackson had been when she arrived.

Some of them were like Mark, the man who usually was on perimeter duty, solitary nearly every day. Others kept to their own groups, while some even joined in conversations with the townspeople. Then there was the woman, Morgan. She was a bubble of fiery temper mixed with an aura of deadliness. Ellie thought she was kind of cool, even though she hadn't actually talked to her, only seen her around the town or when she came by the house to see Kayce. From what she'd heard, the woman got along with most everyone, and was well liked in her group.

The leader of the group, Zac, kept himself surrounded by work to do. If it wasn't something with his own people, he was dealing with various jobs around town. It was easy to see why he was so respected by his people. Even busy as he was, he made time for each of them. He made it by once a day to check on his daughter, spending an hour helping change her bandages, or talking to her quietly.

Kayce, on the other hand, kept a relatively low profile, never moving farther from the mattress than the couch in the larger room. She was able to move on her own, with some difficulty, and made a habit of refusing help. Her bruises had faded into a more dull color, and the ones on her neck had become defined enough that people could see where the man's fingers had closed around it. Several people from her group came to see her, wishing her to get well. She blew them off with a smile that barely passed as genuine.

All the while, Ellie kept her company through the cold nights. There wasn't another incident like the first time, and the girl slept peacefully with someone supportive so near. During the day, Kayce seemed to avoid more than the basic conversation with anyone, keeping to herself, and so Ellie spent her time with Charlie or Cassie. Usually the latter, as Grant had been quite receptive to Charlie's advances, if the rumor mill was to be believed.

Today, she was alone, the hood of her green jacket pulled over her face, causing the auburn ponytail to fall about her shoulders, grown a bit longer than it had been back in Boston. There weren't many jobs to do anymore, with all the extra help around and no crops to speak of. And so, here she was, searching the frigid town for Joel. He'd been distant for the last week, careful with his words when she was around, and avoiding eye contact. It was getting on her nerves. _Just be a man and tell me what is wrong already._ She'd resisted yelling that at him several times now, having guessed what he had on his mind. It was still infuriating that he didn't try to talk it out.

"Hey! Hey, kid!" The voice, feminine but husky, belonged to Morgan. "Seen Joel around?"

"Um..Not since this morning. Why?" Cocking her head to the side and observing the woman, she couldn't help but be impressed with the way the other looked. Her hair was cut into a pixie style, with bangs sweeping down across her forehead, the sides cut short. It worked for her, though Ellie was sure she could pull off any look from elegant to ragged and still look amazing. Her skin was a darker tan than most of Zac's group, and yet she had freckles across the bridge of her nose, much like Ellie's. Her greatest feature though, was her eyes. A light gray that circled her pupils, it reminded the girl of the sky during Spring's first rains. _Goddamn, I hope I look that good in a decade or so._

Stuffing her hands into the pockets of her coat, Morgan smirked. "Need him to have a look at my rifle, it's feeling it's age now. Heard he's got a way with guns, y'know?" She tapped the leather strap over her shoulder, the rifle it was attached to was a masterpiece compared to most left in this world, it was gorgeous. It's polished wood had been carved into, and the entire stock was covered in the intricate designs of leaves. The rest of it was cleaned daily, and kept in top shape. The weapon had caught the eye of as many people as the woman who carried it. _It doesn't look like it needs to be looked at.._

"Yeah, he definitely knows his way around 'em." She pried her eyes away from the rifle, pointing north. "I was just gonna go check out if he was at Nate's. Feel free to tag along." Ellie resumed her path, the snow crunching underneath her boots with every step. "And it's Ellie, not 'kid'."

Eagerly bounding up next to her, Morgan looked down at her with a bemused expression. "So why're you looking for him?"

"We've got some things we need to talk about."

"Oh? Like what?" That smirk on the woman's lips never faded away as she spoke, looking more and more like a fox.

"Personal stuff."

"Is he any good at dealing with personal things?" Ellie looked over at her finally, giving a skeptical stare for a long moment._ Look at your gun, yeah right. _She shrugged her shoulders, trying to dodge the question. She didn't want to help this woman figure out Joel, it was a strange pang of jealousy, like this other person was encroaching on her territory.

The woman was staring at her, with that sly grin, waiting on a better answer. _Grow up, Ellie. Joel can handle himself. _"..He tries." Morgan nodded and continued on, ignoring the sudden change in attitude.

"That's what counts, right?" Ellie shrugged again, noticing for the first time the way the other moved. It was strange, and the closest thing she had to compare it to was Joel when he snuck up on Hunters or infected. Every step was light, but purposeful, it was a finely honed skill. She moved so quietly, it was unsettling and awe inspiring, what she imagined a predator stalking their prey would look like. Morgan caught her gaze, chuckling softly. "What's on your mind, Ellie?"

"You move like you're hunting."

Nodding excitedly, the woman watched her own feet as they moved forward. "Zac taught me. Took me years to get it down, now I'm better than he is at it. Does it bother you?"

Ellie shook her head quickly, then stopped. "Can you teach me?"

Morgan stopped as well, looking at her curiously. "Hmm, I suppose I could. But maybe we should wait for things to settle down, yeah?"

"Sounds like a plan." The woman turned to continue, and Ellie followed close behind. They passed the stables, greeting some of the workers who were caring for the horses. Skirting around the corral to make it to Nate's house, Joel was just outside, speaking to a couple of the new people.

He glanced over as Ellie waved, wrapping up his conversation quickly before moving closer. He was looking past her, eyes narrowed. "Any reason she's followin' you around?"

Blinking, Ellie followed his gaze to where Morgan was leaning against the corral's fence. "She..uh, needs to talk to you. Guess she wanted to give us some privacy."

"Privacy?" His stare was fixed upon her as she looked back. She stopped herself from forming an angry expression, instead giving an awkward shrug.

"I just wanted to make sure you're..alright..and everything." Her hands pulled at each other in the usual nervous way, and she gave a frustrated sigh. "Look, you've been distant since you found Kayce. And I know why, I do." He was beginning to deflect, like he always did. _I'm letting you off easy, old man, just let me speak. _Her next words came quickly, to deny him any chance to steer the discussion away. "I want you to know I'm okay. And if I want to talk about something, I will. Got it?"

He studied her for a couple of moments, then tilted his head in a short nod. "Okay, Ellie." His quick surrender to it threw her off. _Joel doesn't give up that easily. _"I've been searchin' for the right words to say.. it ain't easy." A hand raised to scratch at the hair on the back of his neck.

"No, it isn't." She reached out and took his hand as it lowered, squeezing it once before releasing it. Her anger from earlier was all but gone. "But you don't need to constantly worry if what you say or do will effect me. Yes, the whole thing with Kayce sucks, and it's dredging up some memories, but I'm working through it. I'll ask for help if I need it, promise."

"Alright, alright." Finally, he butted in enough to change the subject, and this time she let him. "Go on and find Maria now, she's got something Zac and her are settin' up. Probably needs some help with it."

"Will do." Grinning up at the man, she began to turn and walk back the way she came.

He called out toward her. "And stay out of trouble!"

"Roger dodger!" She laughed as she passed the corral. "All yours, Morgan. Thanks."

The older woman winked at her before pushing off the fence, stalking over towards Joel. Ellie watched her for a bit before turning, and she couldn't help the smile that grew over her lips.

* * *

Joel had never been one for parties before the outbreak, and there hadn't been much cause for one after. But, he couldn't deny that this is what the people of both groups needed. Zac had a substantial supply of food, and was more than willing to share. For the first time in a long while, there was a surplus of more than just vegetables. It was mostly just stew, but some of it was decent enough, dried fruits and such. _Better than a couple cans to cook at the house. Ellie'll like this._ The corner of the park with the arch, close to the bar that served as their meeting place most nights, was filled with people.

They mingled with each other, and laughter was quite common. It hadn't taken long for Zac to also reveal something that lifted the spirits even higher: A couple cases of alcohol. From whiskey to bourbon, the stash they had collected was impressive. It didn't take long for glasses to be filled and distributed. It seemed as if the entire town, old and new residents both, had come out for the night. With the electric fence up, the watch towers were even unmanned.

A hush was falling over the crowd as Joel secured a glass full of whiskey, and he was about to take a drink when he saw Zac step up onto a box. The man was still dressed in the leather jacket, his beard thicker than when he had arrived, except where the scar lay across his face. It was more noticeable now, a wide cut of stark white through the beard. As he signaled everyone to quiet, he looked down into his own glass of dark liquid. "Some of you have known me since before the outbreak. Some have known me since, while others have just met me."

"When I was growing up, back in Utah.." He chuckled, the haggard look fading from his features as he did. "We had a tradition at all family events. We'd toast the one who's birthday it was, or the one who had died.. Or hell, we'd toast nothing if it was a holiday, any excuse to drink, right? Point is, I'd like to take the time to toast the people who have taken us in, when we were at the end of our rope."

Throwing both arms wide, he gestured to the whole town before continuing. "This sanctuary, this haven. The people who have built it, and the people who maintain it. We all owe you an immeasurable debt." A round of applause rose up at that, and Joel even found himself joining.

"We live in a fucked up time, and in a torn down world. As you all know, we lost a boy in finding this place." The silence that gripped the crowd told volumes of the respect people still held for death. "Marcus, who many of you had known since he was born." Zac took a long moment to steady himself, visibly effected by remembering the boy the Hunters had killed in their first, vicious attack. "And yet, my daughter was spared the same fate by the people of this town."

Joel wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Zac's gaze find his own, and the man gave a nod before speaking again. "Enough of my rambling." He rose his glass, and everyone in the crowd followed his lead. "This town represents something to me: Hope. So, to hope. To Marcus. And to the people of Jackson. Thank you all for allowing us to join in your community here. I truly believe that after all this time, we have found our place in this world."

There was no cheer, no applause, but everyone drank together. Chatter began back up as Zac stepped down off the large box. As Joel finished his own mouthful, he caught sight of Ellie and Kayce, sitting by the arch, both of them drinking as well. He thought about saying something when he saw a grin break out over both their faces. Instead, he just chuckled and shook his head. "Shoulda guessed."

A hand clapped down onto his shoulder, and Zac joined him in watching the two girls, a smile on his face. "You know, I don't think Kayce has ever warmed up to someone so fast."

Nodding, he took another sip from his glass. "Ellie does that to people. Girl's got a gift."

"You raised her well."

The other man raised an eyebrow when Joel let out a laugh. "She ain't my daughter, it's all her." His mood dipped a bit when his thoughts continued. "Kayce, though.. You did a good job there, she handled those Hunters better than most could."

"She's got good instincts." Zac tilted his head somewhat. "Ellie might as well be your daughter. This world can build the bonds of family. Between a couple of people, or even a town."

Another joined them as Tommy's voice reached them. "Hell, I'll drink to that." His younger brother raised a glass, and Joel met his with a clink, as did Zac. After a long moment of them draining the drinks, they watched the two groups mingle about.

It was Zac that broke the silence between the three first. "Tommy, I don't know how to thank you and your wife, but I'd just like to let you know that I hope we can prove that letting us stay is the right decision. As for leadership, I'll defer to you. Your town, your rules."

"It ain't gotta be like that, you're gonna be a part of this town now. You get equal say as everyone else." Tommy chuckled. "Plus, the missus runs the show."

"No doubt." A quiet laugh came from the other man.

"Your people seem pretty willin' to follow you, any story to that?" Joel quirked an eyebrow.

"Well, we aren't drunk enough for me to tell that tale, trust me." The other man grinned before his hazel eyes were drawn past the brothers. "Looks like I'm needed, if you'll excuse me." He slid past them.

Joel, remembering the toast, asked as casually as he could. "Zac, where'd you folks come from, that you stumbled on us here?"

Zac, turning to face him, didn't seem to question his motives for asking. "Salt Lake, we just made our way up from there." He gave another nod before continuing off.

Joel and Tommy were left alone, exchanging a long look with each other.

* * *

The liquid was bitter, and burned slightly going down, causing Ellie to cough softly. It left a warm feeling that seemed to pulse through her, bringing a bright smile to her face. She had drank before, back in the Military Academy, but that stuff had tasted like trash compared to this. It wasn't difficult to swipe a few glasses, but it seemed like none of the adults objected to it, despite several double takes.

Kayce took small sips, bundled in the jacket Zac had traded for. It was a bit too big for her, an old leather bomber lined with wool. She was sitting at the base of the arch, eyes searching the crowd with that studious gaze of hers. Ellie watched her carefully from time to time, making sure she was okay with being out and about. The other girl seemed alright though, looking over and smiling. "Thank you for stealing me some of this, Ellie, and bringing me out here."

"Don't mention it." Kayce's face when she had presented the cups had made her laugh like one of her stupid puns, it was so surprised and disbelieving. "I wasn't so sure if you wanted to, the way you've been avoiding everyone."

The other teen swished her glass about. "I just don't want people to see me like a victim." Ellie took a seat next to her, nodding as she spoke.

"Nobody thinks that. Or at least, I don't. Joel, Tommy, and Maria don't, either."

"If you say so." Kayce shrugged, then looked over at her. "Thank you for looking out for me, I know it's a handful, but I'm sure it would be much worse if you weren't around." _She's got a lot on her mind tonight, maybe it's the whiskey._

"Nah, you would've been fine. You're pretty damn strong." Ellie grinned at her, hoping to bolster her spirits.

The other girl didn't say anything at first, taking another drink. "I wish I was as strong as you. I've asked Zac about you and Joel.. Apparently you guys came all the way from Boston, just the two of you."

"Yeah, but you survived something I probably couldn't out there." _And then there's the stuff she doesn't talk about._ But Ellie didn't mention that, she wasn't sure if she actually wanted to know, it was bad enough guessing what David would have done if she hadn't.. _Dammit, stop it._ "Plus, it coulda been just Joel who got us across."

"Ha, your dad's a badass, but I doubt it." Before she could interject, the girl continued. "You are tough, and more capable than most people I know. And you've got a temper that tells you that you can take anything anyone throws at you." Kayce laughed, and it was different this time, her voice sounded lighter than it had, and Ellie imagined it was what her friend sounded like without the bruises from being almost strangled to death. "I was just lucky, and Zac trained me pretty well."

_I sure as hell don't feel strong, or that I can take anything. I guess and hope for the best most times. _Her reply was more about dodging the compliment than anything. "Joel's not my dad, you know."

Kayce laughed again. "He seems like it. I can tell you guys love each other."

"We've been through a lot together.. And you seem pretty perceptive."

The girl's smile turned into a frown. "It's something you need to do out there." She gestured toward the walls, and the world beyond them. "People with deceiving personalities that'll kill you if you let your guard down." _People like David._ "What's wrong?"

Ellie blinked, looking at her friend. There was concern in the sky blue eyes. "Huh?"

"You looked far away for a second, kinda.. angry, too."

"I've just met a few people like that, is all." For a moment, she slipped into her memories of last Winter, feeling the dread fill her again, and imagining the weight of David on her back as she tried to crawl away. It was crushing, and she was only brought back to the present by a hand taking her own.

Kayce held her tightly, while she studied the bruised wrist of the other girl. "I wish I'd been there for you, like you were for me." As Ellie gave a nod, she felt something brush underneath both their hands.

It was Buckley, Maria's old dog. Kayce let go of her, looking down in amazement. "You.. you guys have a dog? Holy crap."

Ellie chuckled. "Yeah, this is Buckley. Go ahead, pet him." As the other girl reach out to softly scratch the dog's ears, she could see the caution in her movements.

"I've only ever seen one other dog that wasn't feral. She wasn't exactly nice though." Buckley sat down with a huff, his tongue dangling out from his mouth in an odd sort of dog-grin as he was scratched. "Have you ever talked to Joel about what happened?

"No. You going to talk to Zac?"

Her snap response drew a look from the other girl, and she glanced away. "He's been through enough without knowing all the details. But I think it'd help you a lot to talk it through, especially with your dad."

"He's not my-" Looking back at Kayce, she caught the grin that taken over the girl's face. They both broke down into giggling. "Real funny."

"I thought so." The girl finished her glass, setting it down against the arch. "I think I'll get some sleep while the pain's still dull. Uh..any idea which way to the buildings my group is staying in?"

That sobered Ellie up quickly. "You're not staying with us anymore?" She tried to sound as disinterested as she could.

"I'm not gonna take up half your mattress for much longer, don't worry."

"You know, a couple people from your group have been taken in by people in Jackson." Kayce was pushing herself to her feet, taking a few moments to steady herself when she looked over. "I'm just saying it wouldn't be hard to drag in a couple more beds. We've got plenty of room."

"You want me to stay?"

Ellie nodded slowly. "I can always ask Joel, it'd give you and Zac a real place to stay."

Kayce held a hand to her ribs, testing the pain response before nodding. "Let's find Joel then."

Locating the man wasn't hard, all they had to do was follow Tommy's loud voice as he told stories of their childhood. It was something Ellie had found in the first few months: when Joel's brother had liquor in him, he became very talkative. Joel was nursing his drink behind Tommy, looking as if he really didn't want this particular story told. Any other time Ellie would have gladly listened in, but she was on a mission tonight.

Tugging on his sleeve, he turned to face her. "Yeah?"

_Here goes. _"Would it be alright if Kayce and Zac stayed with us?" She could see the immediate refusal coming, but something stopped him. Dark brown eyes studied her, sometimes traveling to the blond girl by her side, but always back to her.

"..Yeah." She wanted to cheer, but he interrupted her. "Only.. only if it's okay with Zac. Make sure first."

Ellie nodded as Kayce grabbed her hand, leading her off into the crowd. The girl seemed to move easier than she had since they had met, but was still stiff. She was drawn by her thoughts as she spotted Zac through the throng of people. Her vision was blocked a second later as a large man slammed into her, breaking her hold on the other girl.

"Hey! Watch it, buddy!" Her fiery temper came forth instantly as she was pushed back. The man, tall and grizzled looking, glared down at her. He shoved past without saying anything, causing her to throw her hands up, confused.

Kayce bounced into her softly, laughing at the frustrated look on her face. "That's Damian.. He's not the easiest guy to get along with, but he's Zac's second-in-command."

"Could use a lesson in manners, geez."

"He..lost his family. C'mon."

Ellie's anger faded away into feeling sorry for the man almost immediately. Everyone had lost somebody, and feeling sympathy for one another was standard all her life. She turned away with a frown, catching sight of Zac again. The man had an amused expression on his face, clearly having seen the exchange between the girl and Damian.

He seemed to brighten up as Kayce approached, obviously happy with seeing her up and about. "What'cha need, girls?"

His daughter spoke up first. "Joel and Ellie are offering to let us move in with them, if it's alright with you."

"We already asked Joel, too." Ellie added that quickly.

Zac mulled it over for a long while, his eyes settling on his daughter's friend. Ellie matched his gaze, giving a winning smile to persuade him. After what seemed like minutes, he nodded. "Alright, if you are sure."

Kayce grinned wide. "I'll grab my stuff from the trucks! Thanks, Zac!" The teen turned and began her way back through the crowd.

Chuckling, the man looked at Ellie again. "Keep her safe, yeah? She trusts you."

"I will, promise." With that, she spun to chase after her friend.

* * *

Kayce pulled back the slide of her pistol, inspecting the empty chamber before letting it go. Zac had given the weapon back to her with a worried look in his eyes, clearly torn on whether to trust her with it or not. _I'm hurt, not broken. _Setting the gun down on the table in front of her, she took the magazine and began loading it. It was regular maintenance, something her father had drilled into her at a much younger age. Nowadays, especially after reaching Jackson, Zac made little time to spend with her, either busy with someone's problems, or finding new distractions. It bothered her more than it should, she knew why he never wanted any down time. _It still hurts._

Running a hand over the back of her neck, she felt the faint throb of the injuries just under her skin. The bruises that announced exactly what had happened to everyone who glanced her way were finally beginning to fade away. She sighed, taking up the pistol and sliding the magazine into place. _A month. It's only been a month. _It felt like every day passed slowly for her. Nothing to do usually meant replaying that day in her head over and over, like some macabre day dream. _What could I have done differently? Could I have saved Marcus?_

Shaking the thoughts away, she slid the gun back into it's holster, strapped to her hip. Zac had managed to get her better clothes, things like her jacket, more suited for the winter that lay ahead. He, like others from their group, were from this part of the country. Even with the early snow, he was doing his best to make sure everyone had suitable clothing. An unstained pair of jeans, and shoes that she suspected were made for a boy her age, rather than a girl. It was better than what she had, at the very least.

The door swung open, and in strode a redhead not much older than Kayce. Dressed in her dark green jacket and wearing a smile that spelled trouble, Ellie moved right to the table, leaning forward on her hands. Her backpack straps were visible over each shoulder. "Hey Kayce, you busy?"

She couldn't help but grin. Ellie had been the best part of the last month, a friend who was equal parts caring and understanding. She knew when to be there and when to not. Kayce had never been much for friendship, but was warming up to the concept quickly. "Not really. Still haven't been given any work to do." Trying not to sound bitter was as difficult as accepting the coddling that came in the weeks following the run in with Scavengers.

"You look better, if that helps at all." It was true, she did. Her stitches had been removed a week or so ago, leaving behind an angrily puckered scar down her left arm. Judy had said it would lose the swollen tenderness over time, but it was still annoying. Breathing didn't hurt anymore, and no amount of tossing and turning on her mattress awoke her with the all-to-familiar pain in her chest. Even the gash on her nose had healed up nicely. "Plus, I've got an idea for what you can do."

The mischievous smirk that lit up the other girl's freckled cheeks stoked the flames of her curious nature. "What is it?" Her voice sounded much better than in previous days, finally losing the last of it's hoarseness and returning to the old, light sounding, girly voice. _I think that's better. Kinda._

Ellie moved around the table slowly, with each step taken deliberately. "Well, I overheard Tommy and Zac talking to the guys they sent out scouting.." Donning an innocent look, the girl stopped at the corner. "They found an old saw mill to the north, didn't check it out but figured it would make a good outpost to keep a couple of people to watch the road up there." With all the Scavengers that had been spotted in the area, those that led Jackson were trying to find new ways to keep their people safe. The Hydroelectric Plant down the road had double the guards it usually did, and the watch towers were always manned, even with the electric fence running.

"What's your point, Ellie?" Rising out of the chair, Kayce moved past the other girl, turning down the hallway. The first door on the left was her room, and opening the door revealed just how little she had picked up over the years. A mattress sat in a small bed frame. It was nothing fancy, just a piece of woodwork Joel had thrown together. Like most of their 'new' furniture, the old man made it. His first projects had been getting the mattresses off the floor, just something to tide them over until the Summer, when he and Zac planned to find some real ones and bring them here. A shelf and a dresser were the only other decorations, her few changes of clothes packed into them.

Following her, the girl stopped at the doorway, leaning against the frame. "My point, Kayce, is that you've been going crazy looking for something to do. And someone needs to check that place out, make sure it's clear." _Going crazy? Yeah, I guess I have._

"And you want to take me along." Kayce didn't turn to face the girl, slinging her bag over her shoulder. It wasn't like most other people's packs, resting diagonally over her chest and hanging near her side. "Despite my incredible track record?"

Her sarcasm wasn't lost on her friend, who laughed. "You get to watch me work. Should be great practice." Setting the bag on the bed, she opened the front flap, looking through before pulling out a gas mask. Clipping it to her waist, opposite her holster, she reached back in to make sure she had everything else. Her fingers brushed over the rough edges of the picture within, causing her to stop suddenly, her mind drawn away.

When Kayce spoke again, her voice was quiet, and the other teen could sense something was wrong, stepping into the room. "Hey Ellie, how old are you?"

"I'm fifteen, my birthday was back in July." The girl was right next to her now, so she gave a grin and nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"Curiosity, I suppose. I'm fifteen too."

"Really? Since when?"

"Huh? Oh, since today." Throwing the flap back over the pack and striding past her friend, she grinned and turned back for a moment before leaving the room. "Come on, we've got a saw mill to explore."

Ellie was left confused by the sudden shift in emotions from the other teen, usually able to keep up with the best of them. "Uh, happy birthday then."

_Yeah, happy birthday. _The sarcasm in her own thoughts left the girl wondering just how crazy being cooped up in this house had made her. "Come on!"

* * *

Bouncing softly in the horse's saddle, Ellie was glad that Nate had taken such a liking to her. The two horses he had let her take for this trip had made it relatively easy to reach the carcass of the saw mill. The old, rotting timbers were shattered in places where the load they had carried finally broke them after years of neglect. "Well, this isn't creepy at all." The voice came from just to her side, her friend that had come with her.

Kayce sat atop the horse like it was second nature, like she belonged there. Her dirty blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail, dressed only in a t-shirt. Despite the season, the snow from last week's storm had melted away, leaving a landscape of fiery red and golden leaves in a muddy atmosphere. The air was brisk, but not cold. Still, it surprised Ellie that the other girl could stand these temperatures without any warm covering.

"C'mon, let's go see what inside." There was excitement coursing through her as she swung off the horse, loosely tying the reins to a nearby tree before jogging towards the structure. Kayce was right on her tail, keeping close as they neared the old doors. It took some effort, but the heavy portal swung open, allowing them their first look into the place. Cracks in the walls allowed some light, but the rest of it was pitch black.

Ellie clicked on her flashlight, moving in first while drawing her pistol. The other girl did the same, and they began their way down the long hallway. Moving forward slowly, her foot brushed something on the floor, causing her to look down. It was a body, bloodied and dirty. "Oh man..looks pretty fresh."

Kayce nodded in agreement, looking more than a little unnerved by the discovery. "She looks like she was a Scavenger." It was a good observation, judging by the torn clothing.

"We should keep moving, hopefully whatever killed her is long gone." It made Ellie feel like she was back on the road with Joel. Surprisingly, she found herself missing that time. _Yeah, cause not bathing and wondering where your next meal is coming from is great._

They moved on past the corpse, further into the complex. The hallway opened into a much larger area, where it was brighter as sunlight filtered in through the dirty windows that lined one side of the room. The floor was cluttered with equipment, and long rows with saws could be seen. There was a sound echoing through the empty space, causing both the girls to look around. In the middle of the room, Ellie tried to identify it. It seemed to come from everywhere, a low croaking noise.

She felt the movement behind her before hearing it, like a six sense that raised the hair on the back of her neck. Something slammed into her, and a face appeared over her shoulder. Hideous and deformed, the stalks of fungus had ruptured through the skin and bone, stretching upwards. The mouth snapped at her, but she managed to get her hands up between her and the infected, pushing frantically back against the savage attack.

Ellie saw hands reach around the neck of the infected, and it was wrenched off her. It turned quickly, throwing out an arm in a brutal swing, and Kayce was thrown back. The Stalker jumped toward the prone girl with an animal-like growl, and she heard her friend cry out. Spinning to face it, she shoved her pistol into the back of her pants and pulled her switchblade. The blade swung out quickly, as always, and she ran toward the struggling pair.

Burying the blade as deep into the back of the fungus-covered head as hard as she could, the stalker collapsed as she pushed her weight into it, dragging the body down off to the side of the girl beneath it. Panting as the adrenaline surged through her body, she ripped her knife from the skull of the stalker, wiping it on her jeans. Kayce was groaning as she crawled toward the counter a few feet away, turning over to lay back against the surface. The girl was holding hand to her neck, and even in the dim lighting, Ellie could see the blood beneath the fingers.

Her breath came even faster now, as panic began to fill her thoughts. "You..you're-" _No. Not this again._

"Ellie." The other girl groaned as she pulled her hand away, and the bite was clearly visible now. On the right side, where the neck met the shoulder, it was plain as day. "Ellie, put your gun down." There was more concern than hurt in the blue eyes staring at her.

Looking down, she was shocked to see that the pistol was back in her hand. _What, am I just going to shoot her? I can't __just __fucking __let her become one of those things.. _Immediately, she remembered something Joel had said, just after they had left Sam and Henry's graves, back in Pittsburgh.

"_If I was infected, could you do the right thing?"_

Still, saying she could and actually following through were two very different things. She didn't drop the gun, only tightening her grip on it. "Kayce.. You're bitten." Her voice shook with each syllable. _I don't want to go through this shit again._

"Put the gun away, then we can talk about this, okay?" The other teen stood, slowly approaching her.

She shook her head. _Riley. Tess. Sam. Now you. _"What is there to talk about?" Her voice was raised, angry at herself, angry at Kayce. _Angry at this fucked up world I have to live in. _"You're infected!"

"Ellie, it's going to be-"

"Don't fucking tell me that it's going to be okay! Because it's not.." _There's no cure._

"_Ain't done a damn bit of good, neither." _Joel's words as they left Salt Lake hit her again, her mind conjuring the worst memory it could for the situation.

Kayce's hand closed over the barrel of her pistol, taking it from her. "It will be okay, just trust me, alright?" The girl's voice sounded breathless as she steadied herself, pulling the sleeve up on her right arm.

Ellie's breath caught, her eyes widening as she reached out, her fingers running over the skin just below Kayce's shoulder, feeling the scar that marred the surface. Her eyes snapped up to meet the gaze of her friend. "Holy shit.. you're immune."


	6. Chapter 6 - Marked

**Author's Note: Yes, it is short. Try not to die of shock, but I do actually have a life outside of writing this. It's been busy, and I've been running on fumes the last few days. I'm posting this, which was supposed to be part of a larger chapter, so that there isn't two weeks with nothing being updated here. That all being said, I'm satisfied with this one. To address some concerns, Joel and Ellie are a focus of the story. They are my favorite characters to write in here. However, Zac and Kayce are main characters as well, and will have chapters devoted to them. There are many characters I want to write, and this story is about all of them. So don't fret, Joel and Ellie will remain in this. Anywho, fav, follow, review, whatever you want, I hope you enjoy it!(Letting me know you enjoy it is great too!) Update: Rewrote parts of the first chapter, if any of you care to head back and re-read. Update 2: Changed a continuity error I had placed in this chapter, noticed it while working on the next.**

Chapter 6

Marked

October – 2034 – Jackson, Wyoming

Ellie's voice shook as she said it, her fingers tracing the crescent scar. _She's immune. _It felt the even worse than her's, having the same look about it that said it never fully healed. That revolting tug on her gut didn't come like when she looked at her own mark, all she felt was sympathy for the other girl. "Does Zac..?"

Kayce nodded slowly, her blue eyes analyzing the reaction she knew was playing out over her face. "But he's the only one. Ellie, listen, you can't tell anyone. Please." The plea drew her gaze from the scar to the girl's face, looking perplexed.

"I think I can tell Joel.." She moved to roll up her own right sleeve, baring the pale skin that she had hidden from everyone but the man she had crossed the country with, even Tommy and Maria only knew about it, and had never seen it. Kayce's reaction was a contrast to the fear, anger, and mistrust that everyone else had shown upon its revelation. Even Joel, as much as he cared about her, could barely look at the bite now without frowning. It was a split second of expression that was suppressed quickly, but it always sent a pang through her chest. It always hurt. She understood what it reminded him of, the people and the world he had lost.

Her friend reacted with excitement, a wide grin springing to her lips as she grabbed the scarred arm. "I-I thought I was the only one!" Her wound forgotten in the moment, the teen looked like she might actually cheer.

Ellie found herself grinning right along with her. "Tell me about it!" Confusion followed the soar of joy, as she thought back to when she awoke in the back a car, leaving Salt Lake. _Joel said there were others._ The blood darkening Kayce's shirt drew her back to the present. "We need to take care of that." It didn't look deep, but any open cut could be infected with any regular bacteria and turn serious, fungus wasn't the only enemy.

"Fuck." The other girl's use of the word jarred her for a second. In the time she had known her, she hasn't actually heard the teen curse. In any normal circumstance, she would have smiled at the fact her friend was adopting the practice. Kayce had a hand back against the bite, her breath coming quicker as she began to panic. "My shirt doesn't cover this. What do I do? What if it doesn't heal?"

Ellie glanced around for a moment before taking the girl's hand, leading her past the dead stalker and down the hallway they entered. Approaching the corpse of the Hunter, she released her friend and bent to rifle through the pockets. It took some effort to not look at the woman's face, the horrified expression, the blood, and lifeless eyes. "Gotta have something.. Here we go." She pulled a bandana from a back pocket on the worn jeans. Long since faded into a grayish color, she suspected it used to be black, whatever design it had sported was barely hanging on as well. But, it would work. Turning back to the girl, she raised her flashlight to look closer at the bite. "Doesn't look too bad, how's it feel?"

"Like some asshole bit me.. Can you take care of it? I have a few bandages in my pack, with some tape." Kayce pulled her bag's strap over her head, offering it with an open hand.

Taking it, she pulled the strap across her chest before moving on down the hallway they entered. "Let's get out in the light to do this." The heavy, rotting doors swung open easily, revealing that the weather had worsened. It was darker, with storm clouds beginning to gather on the valley's peaks, and a strange smell was permeating the valley.

Looking to the sky, Kayce moved to sit on a larger rock, sniffing softly. "It's gonna rain."

"That's what that smell is, huh?" _Boston smelled like fish before it rained. It always smelled like fish. _Ellie crouched down next to her, flipping open the bag and searching through for the supplies. The inside was a mess, much like her own backpack, with many random items. Her fingers closed upon something thin, an old photo. Curiosity got the better of her, and she pulled it free from its place between an empty pistol magazine and a pair of dirty sunglasses. It was faded from its full color, but the man and woman captured within were still easy to see. It was Zac, a much younger version without the scar along his face, dressed in his leather jacket with his arm around a beautiful young woman who was blushing furiously. Besides the dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes, she wasn't familiar.

"Ellie." Kayce had caught sight of her with the photo, frowning.

"Sorry, I just.." Zac was different in the picture. Still scruffy, with a short beard and messy brown hair, the same smile splashed across his face. Unable to place the difference, she set it back within the pack, glancing at her friend with guilt. "Sorry." As she pulled the roll of clean cloth from the bag, Kayce was looking away, and the silence was enough that she knew it had upset her friend. _Nice job._

"It's fine." A begrudging sigh came from the teen. "Did you ever know your parents?"

Ellie stretched the collar of the dark shirt out, exposing the girl's bare shoulder so she could work over the mark better. "No. I've got a letter from my mom, she died when I was little. Who knows where or who my dad is." Unraveling some of the rolled cloth, she tore a piece from the rest, placing it along the nape of Kayce's neck. It smelled strongly of the same type of alcohol Joel used in his first aid kits. "Hold this here." She reached into the pack for the tape as soon as the girls hand pressed against the makeshift bandage.

"So since we are on the subject of photos, who's the girl in the one Joel keeps by his bed?" Ellie froze for a second, tensing up as the urge to defend the man arose. It was something they did, avoiding the topic of his daughter unless he brought it up. _I kinda owe her an answer though, I was the one snooping._ Picking up the only tape to find in the pack, she saw it was clear, with lines running through it. She had seen it before, back at the school's infirmary, it was medical tape.

"Joel's daughter, Sarah. She.." Her words were more than enough to convey what had happened as the first end of the cloth was taped down. Moving around in front of the girl, she tore another piece of tape from the roll. "Pull this end tight." Kayce did as she was told, stretching the cloth across her shoulder as Ellie held the taped end and pressed the strip of adhesive to the other side of the bandage.

She tossed the supplies back into the bag, nodding before continuing onto the next step of her plan. Tugging the bandana she had taken from the dead hunter out of her pocket, she stood and draped it around the girl's neck, tying it in the back. Kayce gave her an incredulous look. "Really, this is your idea?"

Nodding, Ellie chuckled. "I don't see how else it's going to work.."

"Well, how's it look?" The other girl stood, placing a hand against her neck with a wince.

"Hmm.. You actually pull it off." The faded black cloth rested around her collarbone, folded diagonally so the larger part was just off center on her chest. It covered most of her neck, and more importantly, the entire area where the new bite mark lay. "I think it looks cute."

A brief smile flashed over Kayce's lips as she bent to retrieve her bag. "Cute, right, that's what I'm going for."

"I'm just saying, all the boys'll go crazy."

Straightening and shaking her head in disbelief, the other girl finally grinned again after a few moments. "I'll have to trust you on that." She looked back at the saw mill, sighing. "So.. That was fun."

Ellie frowned, remembering that she had practically dragged her friend out here. "Well, at least we know we're both immune now." Closing her eyes, she mentally kicked herself over the weak joke. "Shitty thing to say, I know."

The other girl's gaze was looking through the forest, avoiding her. "I'm actually kind of glad." She gave a shrug, just a slight rise and lower of her shoulders. "I'm not alone in this."

"No, you're not." Ellie walked up, bumping her friend gently as she neared, drawing a raised eyebrow from the other girl. She just grinned, and Kayce rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's get back to town."

"Do we tell Zac and Joel?" The question lay heavy over the air as they turned a moved back up the small hill to the horses. Ellie pulled herself up into the saddle of her own mount, biting her cheek softly as she thought.

"We should, hopefully Zac doesn't kill me for bringing you out here." Gently kicking her heels into the horse's flanks, she began a slow trot down the trail they followed up.

Kayce's voice was close behind when she answered playfully "I'll try and protect you."

"Oh, that's comforting." Sarcasm dripped from her response. "I am filled with confidence." The two shared a laugh as rain falling began to sound on the leaves around them. Ellie reveled in it, the feeling of cold rain on her skin as she bounced lightly on the saddle. It was amazing to her, and looking back, she could see that Kayce's reaction was quite different.

The girl was leaning on her horse's back, casting a dirty glare up toward the heavens. When she caught Ellie staring at her, she shook her head. "I used to love rain."

Laughing, she slowed her horse to keep pace with the other. "Really? What happened?"

"We got rained out in New Orleans for a couple of days..Few years back. Miserable and wet for days would make you hate it too." She didn't look amused, but Ellie could see the smile that tugged on the corners of her mouth. _So you love and hate it, huh? _

"If you say so." Leaning back on the saddle, she stretched her arms out, closing her eyes and looking to the sky. "I'll never get tired of the outside world."

"Just the people in it, right?"

Kayce's reply drew her gaze back down to the girl, blinking away the drops on her lashes. "Well, most of them. Some of you are alright." She tossed a wink towards her friend as they continued down the trail. The rest of the trip back to Jackson was comfortably silent, and she caught the other teen sometimes glancing over at her arm with the bite. She could have swore Kayce's grin appeared every time she did. _Yeah, it's nice to not be alone with this._

* * *

"I'm just saying, this one is in relatively good condition." Morgan's voice was coming from behind him, always a shadow for Zac these days.

"I thought you were looking to settle in with one of the families in Jackson?" He didn't look up from his clipboard as he spoke, running through the list of supplies they had on hand to repair these houses. She was right, this one was pretty well off, when you considered twenty years.

Morgan moved past him, bounding up the steps to the front door with youthful energy. "I've been thinking about it. This'll do for the time being though." She ran a hand over the woodwork. "Plus, I don't mind letting others have my spot. It's not like I've never been cold. Hell, I feel lucky to have a roof."

Zac looked up with narrowed eyes. The woman was many things, but altruistic was not one of them. "What're you up to?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." That all-to-familiar grin took over her lips as she looked down at him.

"Uh huh. Just make sure you don't drag Kayce into whatever trouble you're brewing, yeah?" He shook his head, looking back down to his list. "Girl's barely back onto her feet."

Morgan's voice became exponentially more excited suddenly, causing him to look up. "Oh, hey there Joel!" He followed her gaze to where the man and his brother were walking up, casting a curious glance back at the woman before turning to greet the men.

"What can I do for you guys?" He studied their expressions for a long moment before glancing back. "Morgan, give us a minute, yeah?" She nodded, looking between them all, then taking his clipboard before moving off. He waited until she was out of earshot before questioning them. "What's wrong?"

Joel looked to his brother, who wasted no time. "Ellie and your girl took off to that abandoned mill up north, Kayce was bitten." It wasn't hard for Zac to figure out where this conversation was going at that point. _Oh, fuck._ "She's alright, which was kinda a surprise."

"Where is she?" His angry response came quickly, but Tommy raised a hand to stop him.

"Maria's got her, makin' sure it's taken care of. But I think it's time we heard that story of your's, yeah?" The man gestured to the house behind them, and Zac ran a hand over his beard before nodding and turning to enter the building.

Once inside, he surveyed the dozen or so people moving about. "Alright, clear out. Go find something to do for a couple hours." They all moved without question, looking over the three men as if their purpose could be gleaned from observing them. When they were alone, Zac took a long time to pull up a chair near the center of the room, sitting down slowly. "So, what do you want to know?" He kept his tone conversational, not wanting his own deception to reflect upon his group.

Joel spoke up first, dragging a chair up and taking a seat. "Start from the beginnin'?"

Sighing heavily, he had to admit it wasn't a bad suggestion. "It's a long one, just warning you."

As Tommy took his seat, he leaned on the back two legs, propping his feet up on the coffee table between them. "We got time, Zac, and Kayce is fine. Bite didn't go too deep."

_Good. _"I'm sure Maria is competent as well. Anyone else know about it?"

"Ellie." Joel looked down for a moment. "Then just us an' Maria. We aim to keep it that way."

"I appreciate it." The more he interacted with the man, the more Zac came to respect him. The two stared at him while he gathered his thoughts. Despite being on his mind frequently, the past was elusive when he truly needed to recall it. Like all things in this life, it was difficult. "I grew up in a place called Provo. It's a small city just south of Salt Lake, in Utah. Anyway, moved away when I was eighteen."

He had told this part of the story many times, to many different people, and it's sting had worn away a long time ago. "Three years later, I was heading home for my parent's funeral. Car crash, of all things. That's when the infection hit. Since I was alone and on the road, I was able to avoid a lot of the chaos that came with it, but that didn't last when gridlocks were piling up left and right."

"When martial law was declared, I steered clear of the military, looking for my family. All I had left was my brother and sister, both older than me, with several kids. Didn't find them, figured they must've left for the Quarantine Zone when the evacuation notices came..and as I'm sure you are aware, getting into those is a bit difficult, I wasn't able to." He leaned back on his chair, balancing it with one foot on the table. The other two men watched him as he spoke, and he could see their minds trying to connect the dots to the present day. _Hold your horses, let me fill them in for you._

"So, I gathered what supplies I could find, and hauled ass to this small hydroelectric plant, just up the Provo canyon. And there..I guess is where my story begins."


	7. Chapter 7 - Sinners

**Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while since I updated, been busy with life and the such. To answer certain reviews(not that they are bad or anything, simply to answer a concern) I will reiterate that this is a story based not only on Joel and Ellie but also upon the characters I introduced into NaughtyDog's creation. I'm sorry if that turns some of you off from my work, but it is what I want to write into the world of the Last of Us. As always, thanks for reading and feel free to leave a review, follow the story or just favorite. Thank you! Update(9/12): Added a new section.**

Chapter 7

Sinners

November – 2013 – Provo, Utah

Two months had passed since the mysterious infection had spread like wildfire from the south. Already, the world had slammed to a grinding halt. Roads lay cluttered with abandoned vehicles, towns were now empty voids that stood testament to the chaos that now reigned. Zac had been leaving Texas when the news hit, and his first hearing of it had been in the morning of the next day, waking up in a dirty hotel room to a man droning on about how Austin had been overrun.

New Mexico had been a mess, with people scrambling to gather what supplies they needed, or just to get away from the madness that approached. Things had turned violent quickly, and no law enforcement cared enough to stop the riots. He had witnessed three towns burn themselves down to the ground as people fought for scraps littering the streets. And so, it had taken him two months to find his way home, having been lucky enough to avoid this new horror, staying on the road by himself to increase his chances.

He had been traveling home for his parent's funeral, and this was the first view of his hometown since he left, two years ago. The circumstances of his departure had put him at odds with his family, and he couldn't blame them. Still, his brother had called him, and told him the news. A car crash.

"_Mom and Dad were coming back from Dakota's, drunk driver hit them." Mason's voice was strained, even through the phone. As Zac's chest had knotted up with the news, he could only remember the disappointed looks on his parent's faces as he had run from his mistakes. "The funeral is in a couple weeks, figured you should get up here."_

And then, this. Dismounting from his motorcycle, a well kept Harley he had rebuilt from his father's wrecks before he could even drive it, Zac pushed open the gates of the cemetery. The wind was a biting cold, as was normal this time of year. It stung his face and hands, his torso protected by the leather jacket he wore. Stuffing his hands into the pockets, he continued on, knowing where to find what he was looking for.

It was all the way in the back from where he had entered, around a large, ancient pine. His ancestors, dating back to when the valley was settled, lay in the ground in front of him. A new addition had been made since he had last visited this place. Underneath the inscribed surname lay the names of his mother and father. It took more effort than he had thought it would to approach the grave, crouching down, feeling as if he was being weighed to prove if he was worthy enough to stand before his parents again.

Zac laid a shaking hand on the top of the sculpted marble, staring at the names engraved names. He wanted to talk to them, to say something, and immediately shook his head at the absurdity of it. Standing, he took a couple steps before looking back, sighing as he knew he needed to say something. "I'm sorry. I'll find Mason and Dakota, I'll make sure they are safe."

Turning, he could feel the comfortable weight of the pistol tucked into his shoulder holster under the jacket. These last months had given him reason to use it on more than one occasion. "I promise."

* * *

October – 2015 – Provo, Utah

Fall in Utah Valley was always something to behold. The trees were a mix of blazing reds and vibrant yellows, with every color in between shown on the fading leaves. The only green left on the mountainsides was in the form of pines, stretching towards the sky. _Five years, and home has barely changed. _The forested area surrounded the hydroelectric plant, aside from the road that led in and the river that ran around it.

The inlet was adorned by seven buildings, each constructed at different times, leading to an unique blend of architecture styles. The actual plant that was home to the massive turbines was nestled in one corner, still functional despite it's age. A stone's throw from that lay the administration building, it's white paint cracked and peeling away in places. These two structures were the oldest, dating back over a century. The five others were decent sized houses, made to be residences for the people who had crewed the plant.

Zac was sitting on the roof of the old administration building, watching the sunset, rifle laid across his lap. From here, he could see down into the city, even past it toward the lake. Beyond that, Lake Mountain could be seen, and he knew that if he looked through the scope, making out the old radio towers on it's back would be easy.

The sounds of work around the plant were growing quieter as the minutes dragged on. The fence around the perimeter was being reinforced roughly, to keep any unwelcome quests from simply wandering in through the river. Across from where he was sitting, he could see the open area that was slowly being converted into what would be a field to grow crops when the seasons turned over. Though he had been the first to arrive, he hadn't planned to govern over anyone, just share this haven with people who wouldn't cause trouble.

What he had wanted didn't pan out, as the dozen or so survivors who had taken refuge with him now almost unanimously looked to him for leadership. On the assumption that others would eventually find their camp from the highway that wound through the canyon, he had looked first to making them self-reliant. Supplies were abundant now, but scavenging was not a long term solution he favored.

The rattling of the old ladder system on the side of the building announced that someone else was joining him, breaking him from his thoughts. "Zachary, you're still up here?" The voice was light, feminine, and full of a natural cheer. "Figured you would be bored by now."

He breathed a small chuckle. "Don't think I could ever get bored of this view, Lexi. And please, call me Zac, or I'm going to start calling you Alexander." She had been one of the first to arrive, with her older brother, just a little over a year after the infection hit. Unlike the others, her conversations with him had always been entertaining, lighthearted, and she didn't demand anything from him.

Lexi laughed as she joined him, sitting close by. "I see Jack has been letting everyone know my dad wanted another boy." The woman rolled her eyes as she leaned back on her palms. "Jerk."

"Hey, I like your brother. He's given me loads of information to use against you." His grin only grew as she gave an exasperated sigh, playfully smacking his shoulder. "He also mentioned your the only one who doesn't know how to use one of these." Zac tapped a hand against the stock of the rifle, raising an eyebrow as he looked over at her.

Lexi nodded, strands of hair falling from where they were tucked behind an ear. "They were never really my thing.. I was more interested in books than a shooting range." A pale hand hurried to correct the position of her hair, giving a shy smile as she did so.

"A book worm, huh? Well then, I'll teach you sometime."

"I'd like that." She grinned, but he looked away quickly, returning to his study of the city. Seconds passed until she spoke up again. "So how'd you learn how to shoot? Everyone here has told some part of their story, except you. What'd you do before all this?"

Zac sighed, setting the rifle to the side before laying back against the roof, arms folded under his head. "My dad taught me how to shoot, and hunt, when I was younger. As for what I did..I ran a small business with a few friends."

"Really, what kind of business?" Her wide, sky blue eyes were fixed upon him as he looked over, wondering where her prying had suddenly come from. People had followed his lead so far, but no one had really questioned about his past, it was usually a sore topic these days for everybody. His look must've been a bit more hostile than he intended, because she raised her hands up disarmingly. "Hey, I'm just curious."

"Let me guess, you're one of those people that has to know something, otherwise it drives them crazy thinking about it, right?" He rolled his eyes, standing and stretching with a groan. After popping his joints, he bent to retrieve the rifle before turning towards the ladder.

"Better believe it." Following him down the fire escape, she landed with a huff as Zac threw the strap of his weapon over a shoulder, walking off without addressing the topic. "You really don't remember me, huh?"

_Remember her? _That stopped him in his tracks, turning to face her. "What?"

Her grin was more playful than he thought was necessary as she walked towards him, the lighter strands of her blonde hair shining in the sunlight. "I think it was..Sophomore year for you? I was a Freshman. We had a few classes together, starting with history that year."

_Sophomore year..? _He racked his brain, shifting weight to his other foot as a hand kept a tight hold on the rifle's strap. Looking down, Zac didn't notice she had gotten much closer until he gave up, drawing a blank from his memory. "I barely remember half of high school, did we know each other?" She was looking up at him, with a half bemused and disappointed expression, her arresting gaze throwing his thoughts into shambles.

"Not really, we just sat near each other. You were a bit of a loner, kept to yourself on the days you did show up to class. I remember you used to draw on a sketchpad, all the time." Lexi took the final step to be right next to him, raising a hand to tug at the holster wrapped around his chest. "I've just been trying to figure out how you went from the quiet kid to someone.. like this."

"You lost me." Blinking, he didn't dare move, and she was keeping a rather firm grasp on the leather strap of his holster.

The blonde just laughed at him. "You used to jump in your seat when there was a loud noise. Now you walk around with a gun, and it looks like it belongs on you. It's more than just the pistol though, you carry this assured attitude. It's why people are looking to you for what to do around here."

"That was six years ago, people change." Shaking his head, he met her eyes hesitantly. "Why is this even important?"

"I just need to know we can trust who we follow." Her grin was lopsided, filled with a teasing quality. "..And I kind of like who you've become." Rising up on the balls of her feet, Lexi pressed her lips against his cheek, despite the light stubble covering his skin. Her hand finally released it's hold on him as she pulled away, leaving him dumbstruck. The light, cheerful voice sounded again as she walked away. "See you around, Zac."

* * *

May - 2016 - Provo, Utah

"Like this?" Lexi looked over at him, holding the pistol up, barrel to the bale of hay they were using as a target. Zac shook his head, moving forward to correct her.

"You want to use your other hand to support your grip, like this." While his larger hands wrapped around hers, she kept glancing up at his face. Looking down, he became very aware of how close they were. Despite her grin, he took a step back and gestured to the target.

She fired one shot, handling the recoil well and hitting her mark. After a small celebratory cheer, Lexi lowered the weapon, suddenly somber. "What if I have to kill someone? What do I do then?"

His answer was straight forward, not pulling the punch in favor of driving the point home. "Don't miss. Aim to hit them in the head, or the chest. A few rounds in either will put most people down for good, infected too."

Nodding, the woman was quiet as she thought over his words. "Have you killed before?" There was a subtle undertone as she posed the question, a plea for her guess to be wrong.

_If only._ "Yes." Again, he kept his words to the point. He and Lexi had grown much closer during the long years, and usually had much to say, but not about this.

She kept her eyes on the gun in her hands, pretending to examine it as the next query came. "Before this all happened?"

Sighing and turning away, Zac ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Yeah."

"Is that why you left?" Rounding on her with a raised eyebrow, her question had caught off guard more than he would have thought. He thought they were done with this a long time ago, she hadn't really shown interest in his past after he showed no interest in discussing it.

"It was."

Her eyes widened, but that was the only indication of surprise on her face, her expression kept a calm neutral. After a long silence, she sighed, dropping her facade of calm and looking visibly upset by the news. _Can't really blame her._ "I can't wrap my head around that. You seem like a good man."

Zac could only offer a shrug. "Regret is a strange thing, I guess."

Lexi moved towards him, pushing the pistol into his hands. It took effort to meet her eyes, and when he did, she finally passed by him. He wasn't aware of the grip biting into his palm as his anger grew inside. The feeling was not directed at the woman, but at himself. As he raised the gun and began emptying the clip into the makeshift target, he could only focus on one memory.

_Regret is a strange thing._

* * *

It was early, early enough that the sun had still not rose above the mountains. Zac was sitting atop the old administration building, rifle in his lap, watching over the gate. His ears caught the sound of the fire escape rattling long before someone actually stepped out onto the roof.

It was Lexi, he knew without looking. She had joined him on nearly every watch, no matter what hour of the day. He hadn't expected her on this one, not after what happened earlier. "Hey." Her voice quiet as she sat down beside him.

"Morning, Lexi." He was cautious with what he said, as if words would startle her away.

She must have sensed his hesitation, speaking gently. "Look, Zac.. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier." _What?_ "You obviously aren't the person you were when you left."

Looking over, he nodded slowly. "So you think people can really change?"

"I think people shouldn't be blamed by the circumstance we are in, this isn't a world of laws anymore." She took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing. "And I'd like to think you would've had a peaceful life if this hadn't happened."

Zac couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Yeah, I imagine I would've." The woman beside him was smiling now. It was a warm, genuine kind of smile, and he wasn't afraid to admit it was one of the best things to see these days. "We still might."

"You really still have hope for humanity, that we will come back from this?" Despite the serious tone of the conversation, he found it hard to let the smile slip from his lips.

"I have to believe that. We can rise to the occasion here, we can endure this." Out of the corner of his eye, he caught her looking at him. "What?"

The expression on her face was something akin to awe. "Nothing..it's just.. You really believe that, don't you?"

Sunlight had begun creeping across the roof, the shadow of the mountain receding. "I do. You'll see, things will turn for the better." He chuckled as the warm rays illuminated them. "Dawn will come, like it always does."

They shared a laugh, but Lexi quieted quickly, lost in thought. "I'm not so sure. I saw the riots as panic set in, people turned barbaric fast. Can we really just go back to the way things were?"

"No." His answer drew her gaze again, and he continued. "Hold no delusions about it, it will take years to get back to how life was, but I truly believe that we can." Gesturing to the whole power plant, he laughed. "Just look at what we've achieved here. After all the loss, the violence, and uncertainty, we are here." Zac grew quiet, mumbling out his next words as he looked away. "I don't know.. I just think that's worth something."

Lexi didn't really respond, not with words. She reached over, grinning as she gripped the strap of his holster and pulled him close. Looking over in surprise, the woman moved close and pressed her lips to his. She pulled away after a few seconds, laughing at his confused expression as she leaned against him.

Zac just shook his head and chuckled as she laid her head on his shoulder. He found all the worry fading from his mind, any doubt surrounding their lives slipping away. It made it hard to concentrate, but he couldn't complain as they watched the valley glow in the new dawn.

* * *

March – 2019 – Provo, Utah

The days passed quickly for the settlement, and every month brought new additions to the group, and changes to the daily routine. By Zac's count, they now housed over seventy people, with most sleeping in the old administration building. Some slept inside the building with the loud turbines, mostly the few mechanics who maintained and ran them. The remaining houses were either full or used for storage, but they had begun construction on a building that could, hopefully, house any more that came upon their camp looking for refuge.

It had grown into more than he could have hoped for. A solid wall with a gate barring the bridge in, watched over by a person on the roof of the building near the entrance. Their fields had produced quite the supply of crops over the last four years, keeping them fed, despite their growing numbers. But there was something else entirely. For the first time since he left when he was eighteen, Zac felt like he had found a home.

As he walked into the plant, he couldn't help but flinch as the machinery deafened him for a few seconds, as it always did. Quickly jogging up the steps, he rounded the corner to see the man he was looking for. "Luke!" No response came as the other man continued on, wearing heavy hearing protection. Pulling the ear muffs outwards, he repeated himself. "Luke!"

Turning with a surprised expression and pulling the band down around his neck, the other man looked him over, raising his voice above the drone. "Jesus, Zac." Dressed in dirty, torn clothes, it was clear that Luke had been busy. "What'cha need?"

Communication was mostly the gestures that accompanied his words as the turbines seemed to increase in volume. "How's she running today?" Pointing towards the components of the plant, Luke's answer came in the form of a thumbs up. Clapping the other man on the shoulder, he nodded and turned to leave heading back down the stairs and exiting the noisy facility.

Stepping into the fading daylight, he breathed in the fresh air of springtime, carried on a gentle breeze through the valley. Zac raised a hand to scratch at the beard that now covered his jaw as he walked through the camp, nodding a hello to people as he passed. It was a short journey to his destination, spotting the blonde standing on the patio long before he reached the house.

Lexi spotted him, her smile springing to her lips as she did. "Hey. Been watching you run around all day." He wasn't too proud of a man to admit that as the world had fallen down around him, she had been the only thing that allowed him to keep his sanity, having failed time and time again to find what was left of his family. His one solid point, something to cling to in this world gone wrong. "Was wondering if you were going to stop by for dinner."

Using the railing to swing himself up and around the steps, he approached the woman. "You are supposed to be resting." He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. Half a foot shorter than him, with striking blue eyes and a lopsided grin that could make his day in the darkest of times. Then it threw him, the same thing that had thrown him off every time he noticed it for the last few months – her rather round and large belly, barely covered by the faded pink shirt she wore.

"I'm pregnant, not broken." She glared at him for a moment before reaching out to tug him down into a kiss, using the leather strap of his holster to rein him down to her height. As always, Zac gladly allowed it, but pulled back with a expression of mock incredulity.

"Look at you! You're about ready to pop!" He broke down in a laugh as she punched him playfully, his tone dropped into a more serious manner as he took the hand in his own, entangling his fingers in her's. "How long does Lily think until the baby's due?" Lily had been a lucky break when she had arrived, because medical skills had been incredibly lacking in their group.

Lexi shrugged, giving a frustrated sigh. "She said it should be any day, but I dunno. I'm ready to stop being coddled though, I hate it."

Zac nodded, pressing his lips against her forehead as he held her close. "Come on, let's get you back to bed, yeah?"

Pulling back and leading him towards the door, she gave another sigh and tossed a scowl back at him. "Fine." He chuckled at her antics, shaking his head as he was pulled along.

* * *

"Zac. Zac, get up." Lexi was shaking him, forcibly stirring him out of his dreams and into the waking world. As his eyes focused, he could tell that it was still late at night, the light of the room coming from the bulb overhead, the windows remaining pitch black.

"What, what is it?" He looked around hurriedly, hand going for the gun laying in its holster, wrapped around the bed post. Zac stopped when he saw the figure in the room who was snickering at him. "Dammit Jack, what do you want?" Lexi's older brother was tall, and built strongly, with broad shoulders and massive arms. Despite his intimidating look, the man was gentle, and easy to trust.

Still grinning from ear to ear, Jack just shook his head. "Got some people coming down the road, figured you outta be the first to meet them." He waved to his sister before exiting the room, heavy footfalls signaling his departure.

Scoffing, Zac fell back into his pillow, taking a deep breath before heaving himself up into a sitting position and swinging his legs off the bed. Lexi had pushed herself up as well, looking at him for a long moment before speaking up. "Is it really necessary that you need to meet them?"

Tugging his shirt down to his waist, he reached for the holster as he replied. "Probably not, but I like to make the personal effort." Sliding his arms through the loops and tightening the straps, he drew the pistol, checking its magazine before slamming it back in and replacing the weapon. "Plus, I don't want to let some psycho in, right?" He sat back down on the edge of the bed, pulling on his shoes, the laces still tied and tucked under the bill. Rising, he quickly made his way to the door.

"Well, you're here, so that problem's already out of control." Zac stopped at the door, a hand on the frame as he looked back at her teasing expression. Shaking his head, he laughed before moving down the hallway.

Breaking into a run as soon as his feet hit the grass, he reached the bridge in no time, just as Jack and another man finished pulling the gate open, revealing the long, dirt covered road. Sure enough, there were three people running towards them, drawn by the lights that announced their settlement. Slowing before reaching the gates, Zac could see their torn and ragged clothes, and the lack of any real belongings.

It was a man, a woman, and a kid. Zac only waved them to continue, as they all looked ready to drop. _How far have they ran?_ As they entered, Jack began pushing the gate back into place as the family collapsed just inside, all struggling to catch their breath.

Approaching them, Zac crouched down to the same level, watching them before the man managed to speak. "Th-thank you."

"Don't mention it, we aren't in the business of shutting people out." Several of the other people watching the gate offered the family canteens, and after a few minutes, Zac spoke up. "Where're you all from?"

The man took another long drink before answering. "Salt Lake. Quarantine Zone was overrun." A massive amount of murmurs arose at that, most of which were asking how the military could let that happen. All of them were silenced when Zac raised his hand and motioned for the man to continue. "A bunch of infected just appeared in the streets two days ago. I-I don't know, I don't know."

Patting his shoulder, Zac rose to his feet, his first thought being that his siblings might well be trapped in the zone. "Do you know if anyone else made it out?"

"We were one of the first out, so no idea." Looking around, he could see the same thoughts reflected on his people's faces. Salt Lake had been the only Quarantine Zone for northern Utah, everyone was bound to have family or friends in there. It didn't take long to make his decision.

"Alright, we're going to load up the trucks and head up, try and see if we can save anyone who made it out. Grab your guns and meet back here in five. Jack." Turning to face the large man, he pointed toward the administration building. "Bring out a couple bags with medical supplies. Bandages, mostly. Then grab a rifle and take the watch, I want this road covered while we are gone." People moved off immediately, dashing off in a dozen different directions. Zac ran towards the house, bolting through the door to find Lexi sitting up in their bed, looking worried.

"Zac, what's going on?" He moved toward the closet, finding his rifle leaning against the corner. Slinging it over his shoulder, he bent to collect the small box of ammo next to it, stuffing that into his jacket pocket before turning to face the pregnant woman. "What happened?"

"The people that just arrived are from the Salt Lake QZ, it was overrun two days ago." He stopped by the edge of the bed. "I'm taking the trucks and heading up, hopefully we can save some people."

She reached for him. "What? This is crazy."

"I know, but we have to try. Too many people have family there." Before she could protest, he interrupted her by continuing. "My brother and sister might be in there, I have to know."

Lexi paused, then nodded in understanding, rising to her knees and scrambling over the bed to pull him close. Chuckling as he was embraced, he laid a gentle hand on her back. "Hey now, I'll be alright."

"You better be, you aren't leaving me."

Pulling back to kiss her forehead softly, Zac grinned as he met her gaze. "Don't think I could even if I tried. I'll be back in no time." Stepping away, he turned to leave, feeling as if the room was pulling him back. Steadying himself as he left the house, he ran back toward the gates, where the two trucks were waiting. People were jumping into the back of them, much more than had been here just minutes ago. He jumped into the passenger seat of the lead truck, waving a hand to get the drivers going.

* * *

The journey up to Salt Lake took longer than it should have, due to the vehicles that now jammed the highways into the city. Along the way, they had come across several groups of survivors from the Quarantine Zone, all fleeing aimlessly with little more than the clothes on their backs. Zac had sent each group of refugees back with one of his people that had came along with him, to guide them to the plant, the only safe haven he knew of.

Eventually the road had become too clogged to continue on, and so he sent one of the trucks back with a couple families they had found huddled inside a bombed out bus. Now he, and the five people left with him, were advancing through the crumbling buildings of what had been Murray, a few miles south of Salt Lake. As the hours passed, the only sound was their footfalls as they passed down into another crater left from the widespread bombings that FEDRA had rained down.

Moving past what used to be a suburban neighborhood, Zac stopped to look down the worn road. The shadows thrown across the ground from the afternoon sunlight almost made the houses look whole. But, the illusion didn't stand up to investigation, as there wasn't a window that remained unbroken or a structure that didn't have a hole blasted through the walls. "You live up here, before it all went down?" Turning, he saw that the question had been posed by Brandon, one of the men who had accompanied him from the plant.

A few years older, the man kept a loose grip on his pistol, but a careful eye on their surroundings as Zac replied. "No, I was born down in Provo. Was actually in Texas when it hit there." Sighing, he slowly tore himself away from the neighborhood, continuing on towards their destination. "Just wondering if everywhere looks like this now."

"There might be places that avoided this much damage." Brandon moved with him, a little closer now. His voice was kept low, obviously not wanting the others with them to overhear. "Listen, I know you're our leader and all that, but how far are we going to take this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying, we've ran into a lot of infected so far. We've been lucky and avoided anyone getting bit, but if we push this, it'll end badly." The man shrugged, shaking his head. "I don't have family around here, so maybe I don't feel the same need to risk ourselves as the rest of you, but we have saved a lot of people. We should turn back."

Spinning to face him, Zac knew his anger was misplaced, knew that the man was risking his life in their personal mission. "Too many of our people have got family up in the QZ. We can't turn back, not when we are this close." Leaning in, he noticed that the others with them were beginning to look over, and he lowered his voice. "I've got family in there, and I won't abandon them."

"You've got family back at the plant, Zac." Backing up before moving past him, Brandon didn't stand his ground to argue his point. "Just think about that." Looking down, he knew the man was right, he did have family who needed him. _Hell, I don't even know if they are in the Zone._ It took a good minute for him to be able to jog off to catch up, nodding at the man. No one spoke for a while after that, the silence filling the air with an uneasy tension.

Gunfire shattered the quiet, coming from the north. Zac didn't hesitate to run off in that direction, finding himself moving quickly through a bombed out kitchen, then up a flight of stairs to reach a vantage point. Raising his rifle to look out over a small square, he could see where the sounds had originated. Positioned in cover around the street, surrounding a military transport, were six soldiers. Dressed in the standard dark blue uniforms, they were fending off a horde of infected that poured out from the alleyways leading back to the Quarantine Zone.

Slamming the butt of his weapon into his shoulder and looking through the scope, he could see that something was radically different with these victims of the fungus. It looked as if most of their faces had been devoured by the infection, leaving them looking wretched. They moved in horrific, jerking motions toward the cornered squad, absorbing more shots than they should have been able to. As if to accompany their improved resilience, faster infected came running out in between them, overwhelming two of the soldiers on the right and beginning to tear them apart, their screams rising in volume.

Squeezing the trigger quickly, he witnessed the explosion of red mist as the bullet obliterated the head of his target, sliding the bolt back and quickly placing another round in the chamber, before pushing the bolt back into place and locking it. All in a smooth motion, he moved to the next infected, watching his handiwork create a new chest cavity in the body, a remnant of a young woman. The urge to throw his rifle away in disgust rose, as it did every time he was forced to kill what remained of the victims of the infection. He suppressed it as quickly as he could, reloading with a defiant glare. _They aren't human anymore. _Even that justification took effort. Killing had not come easy to him in this world, no matter how necessary or justified it felt. Where others could easily discard their morality in favor of survival, Zac fought against the beast within himself, holding to what humanity he could, silently hoping others would do the same.

By the time he was ready to fire again, it was over. His group joining the fight had brought it to a conclusion quickly, leaving the soldiers looking around in confusion. Shouldering his weapon, he moved back down the stairs quickly, jumping over the banister and emerging from the door that lead into the small square. Two of the men in uniforms were moving to collect their fallen comrades, while the others leveled their weapons at their saviors.

Zac raised his hands as they observed his group. "Whoa, little bit of gratitude would be a better reaction." His previous interactions with the military had been on a shoot first basis, having been caught trying to sneak his way into the Salt Lake area to try and find his siblings. He had abandoned that idea faster than he had wanted to. People who had taken shelter at his camp had told him of how the military had closed the gates to the Zones, killing those who had been too late to be taken in. Only a lucky few managed to get away from the slaughter. Nevertheless, these were people who needed his help, and despite the risk, he could not let them die out here.

The woman on his left was not receptive to the advice, only hefting the rifle in her hands. The man, however, lowered his immediately, his brow furrowing. "Zac? There is no fucking way."

His group, and the soldiers, all seemed to turn to the two with curious gazes, and it did not take long for Zac's mind to attribute the gruff voice to the person in his memories. "God dammit, Damian? You of all people would survive this."

The other man rushed forward, crushing him in a hug. "Thought you were still in Texas when it got hit."

Chuckling as he released his friend, Zac looked him over, staring longer than he should have at the FEDRA Security patch that lay over the breast on the uniform. "Was on my way out when it happened, avoided the shit for a bit longer than most."

The woman behind Damian stepped forward, finally lowering the weapon in her hands. "Private, who the hell is this?" The two men stopped abruptly, facing her.

Clapping a hand onto Zac's shoulder, the man laughed heartily. "Sergeant, this is Zac. Grew up with him in Provo, were almost inseparable as kids." The added nuance in his friend's voice as he said 'almost' caused an involuntary pang of regret in his chest as he offered a hand toward the woman.

To his surprise, she took it. "Sergeant Naomi Pierce. Thanks for the help."

"Anytime, Naomi." Shaking his head after withdrawing his hand from the shake, he looked the squad over. "What the hell happened?"

Damian sighed, shrugging his shoulders. He was much different than when Zac had last saw him. Taller and broader, the corded muscles could be seen under the short sleeves of his shirt. Clean shaven with his brown hair cut shorter than an inch, it was a stark contrast from the scruffy teen he had parted ways with six years ago. "We woke up to an alarm, came out of the barracks to find infected filling the streets. No idea how that one went down, but we were pretty much the last ones out."

"Probably those damn Fireflies. Bombs and terror tactics don't work, might as well let the clickers in." Naomi had slung her rifle over her back, and now had her arms folded, glaring at the variety of bodies littering the area. As the people he had brought with him rummaged through the aftermath for anything useful, Zac raised an eyebrow at the terms the woman was using.

"Fireflies? They're a.. resistance group, right?" Before the radios and tv stations had gone completely down, he had caught a few broadcasts on a rogue militia group. "And clickers, slang for these poor bastards?" He emphasized his words with a gesture toward one of the many deformed bodies.

His friend was the one who answered him, walking toward a corpse. "Yeah man, a ragtag group that has been hounding the QZs since martial law was declared. Idealists and freedom fighters, usually just trying to rile up the populace. I doubt they did this though, they want to save the people, not kill them." Kicking the body, unrecognizable aside from the fact it had been male, over onto it's back, he pointed at it's head. "This, is a clicker."

Zac moved over, making a noise of disgust as he observed the fungal plates that had overtook and split the man's face in two. Damian continued, unperturbed by the sight. "Blind, uses echolocation to find it's prey." Turning to face the others, he grinned and nodded. "It's prey being us, of course. Stronger than any human. If that thing gets it's hands on you..well, you end up like them." He gestured toward the two fallen soldiers, who were barely more than a pile of meat at this point.

"Jesus. So this is what they turn into, the people who are infected?" His friend's nod confirmed his question, as Zac bent to get a closer look at the destroyed tissue.

The Sergeant took one last look over her dead men, sighing before looking back at the transport. "Hope you guys got a place to go and a way to get there, 'cause our truck is a goner and we've got civvies to get outta here." Moving to knock her fist against the tailgate of the transport three times in rapid succession before opening it. Following her, Damian beckoned in, before offloading the people who were inside.

Zac was quick to move over, looking to help. A woman his friend caught embraced the man with an excited hug and an equally passionate kiss. The strawberry blonde hair made her familiar to him immediately, causing a large grin to spread over his lips. "Alice, good to see you in one piece."

Shyly peeking over her husband's shoulder, the woman smiled wide, looking shocked to see him. "Hi Zac." The couple released each other, turning to pull two young boys out of the truck's bed. It didn't take long to see the resemblance of a family in all of them. The oldest, he looked five or six, was a mirror image of Damian in his younger years, while the other took after his mother, looking to be three or four. Both were scared, shaking as their parents helped them to the ground.

Naomi got the rest of the civilians out, it was only a few other people that Zac looked over as quickly as he could. None of which were his brother or sister. Gripping his rifle's strap with obvious agitation, he growled out a curse. Reaching the edge of the square, he smashed his fist into one of the concrete barriers, letting the pain dull his disappointment. A hand came to rest on his shoulder, and he began a conscious effort to calm himself. Glancing back over a shoulder, he saw that it was Brandon.

Nodding, he continued his pulling at the strap over his chest as he turned around to head back the way they came. "Let's go. We've saved who we can." _Going forward would be suicide. Think of Lexi, think of the baby. _

Hefting the youngest of his boys, Damian fell in behind him, closely followed by Alice. "Right behind you."

* * *

The trek back to the plant had been, thankfully, uneventful. No infected came running out of the shadows when they had made it back to the truck, and nothing had seemed to follow them from the city. Damian had filled the time with introducing his two sons, Jeremy and Dustin. Jeremy was six, meaning that Alice would have been pregnant when Zac had left for Texas, and Dustin was four, having been born just a month before they were forced to retreat into the Quarantine Zone. Their father had joined the military a year after he left to insure that money, and later ration cards, were never a scarcity for them, something that he couldn't fault his friend with, but still found it strange when compared to the rebellious teenager he had last seen.

Approaching the gate of their camp, it slowly opened as the truck neared. Inside, it was chaos. People were milling about everywhere, helping the new arrivals find a place to settle in or get the first aid they needing. The other truck was already parked near one of the houses, empty now, instead of packed with the families they had found. As he climb out of the truck's cab, he was instantly approached by a half dozen people, all looking to him for guidance.

There weren't enough beds, where could they put the extra people? Bandages were in short supply, and too many people were wounded. Some of the newcomers were talking about going back for belongings, or in some cases, their family members they'd left behind. Raising his hands, he signaled them to calm down. "Alright, people, people. First off, there are spare beds in the attic of the administration house. If we need more, we've got camping supplies in shed down that way." Pointing towards the shed, a couple of the people ran off in that direction. "As for bandages, prioritize by how severe the wounds are. Leave cuts to heal on their own unless they are pretty bad, then stitch it up." Two more ran off. It was common sense stuff, things he should never have had to explain to them. But he understood, this was the first high tension situation most of them had been in since the original riots. People were not built for this.

"You." Pointing at the boy who had mentioned that those they had rescued were talking about leaving. "Go tell the people at the gate to close it and not to let them out. We didn't just spend all day out there to have them end up as dinner for one of the infected. Sergeant!" Looking over at Naomi, she had just jumped out from the bed of the truck. "Could you and your two men watch the gate for me? Keep people in, please." Nodding, she motioned to her soldiers and jogged off toward the entrance.

Damian walked over, still holding his youngest, who was now asleep and resting against the man's chest. He was watching Zac with something akin to awe, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Man, you've really stepped up for this place, huh?"

Running a hand over the back of his neck, he nodded at his friend. "Someone had to." Glancing over, he narrowed his eyes. "Don't sound so shocked."

Snickering, the larger man punched his arm lightly, still supporting his son with his free hand. The two shared a laugh before Damian's tone grew lower. "It doesn't look like this place was made to hold this many people."

"Yeah, was just thinking that. We may have to find a new place to set up..we were about up to max when this happened." Folding his arms, he noticed the young woman standing where the group had been to talk to him, looking down and not meeting his gaze. She looked sad, or worried, it wasn't easy to tell. _Probably wants to know if we found her family. _Speaking gently, he moved forward a bit. "Something I can help you with, miss?"

"Uh..It's.." Wringing her hands, the girl was actively avoiding his eyes now. "They need you back at your house. It's Lexi."

"Lexi?" Moving past the young woman, he broke into a sprint towards the building he had slept in for the last few years. It didn't take long before he slammed in through the front door, he could hear it from the moment he entered, the echo of a baby's cry. Turning round to face the origin of the noise, he saw the baby in the arms of Lily, the camp's makeshift doctor, who was shushing the infant. It was simple reaction, the grin that spread over his face as he moved forward. Then Lily turned to face him, her expression downcast and sorrowful. "Lily, what's the matter?"

Then it dawned on him, the realization of horror that he should have noted the second he had seen the woman holding his child instead of Lexi. He turned immediately, using his hands to keep himself from smashing into the wall as he thundered down the wooden hallway, bursting into their room. There, on the bed, was the woman he loved. She was pale, too pale, and lying completely still. Suddenly, it was if all his insides had decided to twist themselves into an intangible knot, sending agony through his body as he dropped to his knees at the bedside. Gripping Lexi's cold hand, he wasn't aware of his own lips moving, begging she return to him. He wasn't aware of Lily at the doorway, looking on sadly, or of Damian, who had followed him.

_..Lexi._

* * *

November – 2021 – King's Peak Military Base, Utah

"We have enough supplies to complete the journey, and the means to get there." Naomi's voice was a constant drone as they moved through the barracks. "We should hold a vote."

"Do that, then. Why are you asking me?" Zac never slowed his pace, a brisk walk that held no secret for his contempt of the conversation. The long hallways led out into the open sun, and the woman stayed right on his heels. The area outside the base was covered in old military transports and jeeps, dating back towards the second World War. There were five long prefab huts past the lot housing the vehicles, storage warehouses. Behind them, the barracks, went deep into the mountain, providing rooms for the large group they now had to maintain. _One-hundred and fifty survivors, give or take. _

They had found this place after moving out from the plant a little under a year ago, with supplies in the area running low, and their crops unable to support the population. People had just began to feel like there was real stability to be had, only to be uprooted a few weeks after the Quarantine Zone fell. Heading East, the Sergeant had been kind enough to provide a map of military fallbacks, leading them to here, nestled at the base of King's Peak. After a minute of walking, Naomi finally spoke up again. "People look up to you around here, can't make a move without you agreeing. New York is a good bet, they had the best established QZ's before the radios went down."

Turning as he entered one of the metal huts, he leaned forward with both hands against the door frames. "Look, I don't care where we go. I only know we need to get moving within a half year. Get everyone's votes." The former soldier nodded, and the glare he expected was only a sympathetic look. A glare he could deal with, but he had to shut the door on this, turning to face who he was looking for. "Damian! Give me the good news."

His friend tossed the clipboard he was holding on top of a nearby crate, looking over. "We've got enough ammo and weapons to last for a long time." Shrugging, Damian scratched at an eyebrow idly. "What we don't have, is the space to carry them. We're gonna need a lot of fuel to get all those junkers moving." The larger man sighed before easing himself into a sitting position. "We're going to be here another few months, at the least."

Nodding thoughtfully, Zac moved forward to grab the clipboard, running down the numbers in his head before placing it back down on the crate. "Naomi wants to hold a vote for heading to New York."

"Yeah, I've heard. Think it's a good idea?"

Running a hand over his face, he paused at the amount of facial hair he could feel, reminding himself he needed to shave. "I don't know. What she says makes sense, but if it doesn't turn out, then we've gone across the country for nothing." His friend didn't answer, only giving a nod.

After a long moment of silence, Damian drew his attention by standing. "You been to see Kayce today?"

"No, not today." Zac could feel the disappointment in his friend's gaze as he avoided it. "I'll try to make it by Lily's after I see where we are at with everything else." The woman had done a remarkable job of taking care of his daughter, freeing up his time in a way he was both grateful and resentful for. He turned to leave, barely getting his hand on the door's handle before the other man spoke up.

"You're running yourself ragged to avoid thinking. The last time you did this you took off for six years." Moving to his original spot to pick up the pad he was using to inventory the base's supplies, Damian didn't hold back his opinion, he never did. "You try that shit with that little girl of your's, I'll put you down myself, brother." Pushing the door open, Zac looked back, meeting his friend's eyes. He just gave a nod before heading out, knowing exactly where to go next.


	8. Chapter 8 - Killers

**Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long between updates, I'm just going to stop making predictions on when the next chapter will be out, hopefully I'm not straining your patience. The only thing I can tell you is that I will continue this story until I conclude it. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed this, or favorited it or followed me or anything. Your feedback is immensely appreciated, and it's been great fun to write this and share it with all of you. Please feel free to share your thoughts in PMs or in reviews, or just enjoy the read. Thank you all! Update(9/18): So it's been pointed out, by the awesome yoyo, that there is a continuity error within this story. Joel and Ellie arrived at the hospital in April, whereas I have assumed from the start it was either later June or July. If this causes any confusion, I apologize. I might, and I stress might, get around to fixing it at some point, but at is stands now I would rather be working on future chapters. Thank you yoyo, this had entirely escaped my read overs. Update(10/5): I seem to have burned myself out on writing this, I'm having a bit of trouble continuing with Chapter 9. As such, I'm taking a short break, hopefully only a couple weeks. But I will return and finish this story.**

Chapter 8

Killers

July – 2022 – Ward, Colorado

Almost a decade had passed since the world came to an abrupt end, and every town Zac had passed through since leaving Utah had been the same story. Abandoned, with mandatory evacuation notices posted in the lucky ones. Cars lining the streets and bombed out homes like a testament to what life used to be. He hadn't escaped the grasp of time either, now much closer to thirty than twenty. Keeping his brown hair short, the disheveled mess atop his head was matched by an equally unkempt beard. The jeans that he had replaced before they had left the power plant outside Provo were beginning to show their wear, with numerous holes and even more patches. His shoulder holster was cracked and faded, looking even more old as it supported a well cleaned and maintained pistol.

With food always a concern for their group, he and Damian were out hunting while the people set up camp. They had pulled their vehicles into a clearing off the highway, just outside of a dense forest region. Gripping the rifle in his hands tight, Zac moved slowly through the trees, keeping a careful eye out for any game. The foliage beneath their feet was dry and yellow, cracking due to the scarcity of rainfall this year.

Approaching one of the many rock formations in the hills, he paused, hearing something else snapping the dry sagebrush besides him and his friend. Holding up a hand, he raised the weapon's barrel to scan the area in front of him, Damian doing the same. The sound increased until two men came around the corner, both were armed, and both stopped with their hands up. The one in the lead, looked a few years younger than Zac, with dark hair and eyes. The handle of a machete could be seen over his shoulder, and a pistol strapped to his thigh. "Hey now, thought we heard the sound of cars up on the highway. We aren't looking to cause problems for you."

Lowering his rifle slowly, Zac placed his hand on his friend's rifle, lowering it as well. This was the first time they had happened across another group of survivors. It was the first sign of life they'd seen since leaving Provo. "Yeah, that was us. I'm Zac, this is Damian. We're from Utah."

"Utah, huh?" The man pointed at himself, and then the other man with him as he spoke. "I'm Ian, my brother Lance. We're from a larger group, camped a bit north from here." Lance was much bigger, though the family resemblance between the two was quite clear in their features.

"A larger group? You're the first we've come across."

"There's another group up by the lake, we're pretty close, but like to maintain our separate borders." Zac almost laughed, looking over at his friend, who was keeping a careful gaze on the strangers. _Two groups? I can't believe this many survived outside the Zones. _Ian nodded a few times. "Say, we've got some room, how many people you got down there with you?

Shrugging, he ran the numbers through his head, giving a rough estimate. "Lower end of a hundred and fifty?" The two brothers in front of him shared a long look. "But we aren't looking for a place to settle down. Not that I don't appreciate the offer."

"You sure? We'd be more than happy to give you a place to stay." Something in the man's voice caused him to stop, slowly looking up to meet his gaze. Damian had caught it too, the subtle inflection that told them he'd trusted too much information to men he didn't know. "It's gotta take a lot of supplies to keep a group that size mobile, don't you reckon, Lance?"

The larger brother's hand was resting comfortably on the stock of his rifle as he agreed with Ian. "Yeah, I reckon it does."

Zac became more aware of his surroundings, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. It was a feeling he had become acquainted with well before he had left Utah the first time, and it paid off as he caught the sounds of other footsteps around them. His hands tightened around his weapon as he kept his voice steady and unassuming. "Well, we need to get back to our people before nightfall." It was a solid enough excuse, with the sun beginning to dip toward the horizon, but he had known from the start of saying it that his effort was wasted. "It was a pleasure meeting you both."

Taking a step back, he turned to leave, immediately catching sight of the men coming through the trees, their weapons raised. Rounding on Ian, he aimed his rifle at the man, who just smiled. "No need to escalate this, fellas, just let us go and that'll be the end of it." Zac spoke calmly, despite the situation, and he could feel Damian at his back, a quick glance showing that his friend had his rifle trained on the men who had come up behind them.

"Lay down your weapons, don't make this difficult." Ian moved forward, his pistol in hand. "We're just gonna take your gear and supplies, no one has to get hurt."

Taking a long look at the men that surrounded them, he sighed. "..Do as he says, Damian." He could feel the other man tense up at his back, meeting his eyes with disbelief when he looked back. Zac nodded one, and the other man complied, understanding his intent. They both held their hands up and away from their bodies, holding their rifles by the stocks.

Lance approached him, with Ian a half step behind, as other men moved to disarm his friend. The large man took his rifle and tossed it to his brother, pulling the pistol from the holster on his chest. He was then patted down, the man finding only the worn and faded picture in his back pocket, smirking and handing it to his brother.

"Wow." Taking it gently, the stranger's eyes widened. "She's beautiful, Zac. Waiting for you back at camp, I bet?" He glared at the man, hazel eyes filling with fury. "Let's make sure you get back to her in one piece now. What's her name?"

"Go fuck yourself." His response drew a laugh as the picture was handed back to him. As he slid it back into his pocket, Lance turned away, leaving only Ian close to him. Seizing the opportunity, Zac grabbed the man's arm with the gun, wrenching him in close to deliver a knee to the chest, taking the pistol from the hand. Throwing the smaller man back, he aimed at the larger brother, who had turned back in time to smack the weapon from his grasp.

With his left hand, Zac threw his weight behind a punch into Lance's face, falling into him and taking him down. His fingers closed on the hilt of the knife tucked into a sheath on the man's thigh, pulling it free and spinning to face the attack he could feel coming. Ian had drawn the machete from his back and was already swinging the blade toward his head. Unable to mount a proper defense, Zac tried to deflect the swing wildly, only managing to cause the blade to tear into the left side of his face. Numbness set in, instead of the pain he expected, giving him a few precious seconds to rush the man and force him off balance. Gripping the wrist holding the machete, he sliced down on it savagely with the knife, causing the man to yell in pain and drop his weapon.

He wasted no time pulling Ian close, keeping and arm tight around his chest with the blade to his throat. Spinning them both around, he could see that Damian had subdued his own captor, who was in a crumpled heap a few feet away. His friend was backing towards him with the pistol he took raised at the men advancing on them. "Get back!" Pressing the knife into the skin of the throat, he continued. "Tell them to back off, or I swear to God you aren't leaving here!"

Ian raised a hand, his voice a satisfying amount of frantic. "Do as he says! Back off!" Zac could feel the searing beginning to set in on the wound an inch from his left eye. Blood was flowing freely down onto his shirt as he glared at the attackers. From his hairline to his jaw, he could feel the deep gash torn into his skin.

Lance was signaling his men back with his hands, an equal glare in his expression. "Put my brother down!"

Hauling the man back another step, the movement caused the knife to draw a thin line of blood over the throat. "Hand our weapons over, and I'll let him go." The men looked to Ian, who gave a hurried nod. With a begrudging air about them, a couple of them moved forward, handing the two rifles and Zac's pistol to Damian, who kept his weapon leveled on the others as he shouldered the rifles. His friend offer the pistol to him with his free hand. Taking it quickly and tucking the knife into his belt, Zac pushed Ian back toward his group.

As the two friends backed away from the other men, he kept a steady aim on them. "Don't follow us." The only response he received was glares as he and Damian moved quickly around the rock outcropping, dropping into a run as soon as they broke line of sight. They moved as quickly as they could through the forest, using a roundabout way to get back to the camp.

* * *

Moving through the brush, Zac stopped when he reached a hill that led down into the last cover of trees before their camp, holding a hand to his face gingerly. The sun had set hours ago, leaving the world looking somehow more menacing. Damian moved up beside him, looking him over with a raised eyebrow. "You going to be alright?"

He couldn't help but laugh at himself. "It's just a scratch. My hope in humanity, however, probably won't recover." It stung closer to the truth than he expected it to. Despite the riots, the harsh martial law and the chaos that had swarmed their world, he hadn't expected that people would turn to preying upon one another. "I thought we were better than this." His musings, caught by Damian even though he had uttered it under his breath, drew his friend's gaze.

"You should have known better." It was hard to deny that, he should have. "All that matters is our families down there, and the people who are depending on us. We do what we have to, to keep them safe."

Thinking of his daughter, he rose to his feet again. "You're right, lets get moving." Together, they jogged down the hill and stumbled through the last stretch before the highway, nearly hitting into a few trees in the darkness. Breaking through the foliage and out onto the highway, the lights from the gathered vehicles illuminated the area just down the road from them, showing the multitudes of tents that had been set up. Both men sighed and slowed to a walk as they neared the closest truck, one of the old canvas transport ones they were using for supplies. A young man was crouched by it, fiddling with something.

"You know, 'being on watch' generally means watching the surrounding area." Zac's voice caused the man, really more a boy who was in his later teens, to start and turn, knocking something over in his haste. Examining closer, he couldn't recognize him, which lead his eyes down to the hose coming out of where the trucks gas cap should have been, and the gas can laying beside the tire, draining out onto the ground. He drew his pistol on the boy as soon as it clicked, watching Damian do the same. "One of Ian's group, I'm guessing." The boy's hand moved toward his pocket. "Don't do it."

Not listening to the advice, the boy pulled a lighter from his pocket, striking it and throwing it to the gas on the ground before turning to run. Zac didn't let him get far, placing two rounds in the side of his chest that left the boy on the ground, squirming and screaming in agony. Unfortunately, they were to late to stop the flames that jumped up as the spilled gas was consumed, spreading onto the truck.

Damian grabbed him and roughly pulled him back. "Oh shit, move!" Breaking into a run, they were still unable to avoid the shock wave that threw them to the ground as the truck's gas tank went off like a grenade. Pushing himself up with a groan, Zac turned to see that the truck was engulfed in flames, and the fire was spreading out quickly into the dry brush that surrounded their camp. Both men were back on their feet in seconds, running in to find that the fire was multiplying too quickly, there was no way to get it under control.

Turning to his friend, he pointed into the camp. "Get as many people up and moving as you can, we're moving out right now!" The nod that confirmed Damian had heard him stopped halfway through the motion, listening. Zac had heard it too, despite the roar of the flames next to them. It was gunfire, slowly increasing in tempo and intensity as they listened. Both men reacted quickly, running past the lost truck and into the camp, greeted by a battlefield.

Many of their people were running through the tents with guns, moving to the source of the gunfire. The opposite side from where they had entered was the one under attack, with his people firing a variety of weapons over whatever cover they could find. Zac moved there first, spotting Naomi quickly enough to duck next to the same truck as her.

"Zac!" Her eyes wandered first to the gash on his face. "Jesus, I'm guessing our guests caught up to you first?"

Nodding, he caught his breath for a long moment,hearing the bullets ricochet off the metal chassis of the truck, and the sound of his people shouting to each other. He pulled the woman back down to him, shouting over the combat. "I need you to hold them back long enough to get our people loaded up and out of here, yeah?"

"You got it!" Clapping his hand on her shoulder, he pushed off from the truck, looking over the rest of the area. Damian was doing his job well, as the entire camp was up and running now. Word was spreading, as some of those who were fighting were beginning to fall back and help load up what they could. Zac made his way through the chaos, coming up on the jeep he had left there, finding it already packed up. Glancing around, he saw Lily running towards him, Kayce clinging to the woman's neck.

"Zac! What happened to you?"

The worried look didn't distract him as he took his daughter off her hands, looking over the girl before breathing a sigh of relief. "Hey baby, lets get you in your seat." The blonde child looked at him with eyes too eerily reminiscent of her mother's. Frightened, but staying quiet, Kayce clung to him as he prepared the car seat hooked into the back. Placing her within, he made sure she was secure before looking over at Lily. "Get out of here, others are already on their way to our next meet point. You know where it is?"

"Gas station twenty miles north, right?"

"Good, now go." Turning back, he leaned in and pressed his lips against Kayce's forehead. "Be good, I'll see you soon." Lily made her way around and into the drivers seat, starting the vehicle.

Watching them drive past the burning truck, and continue on down the road, Zac felt a wave of relief pass over him, immediately replaced by the sounds and smells that assaulted him. Gunfire, flames crackling, burning sagebrush and flesh. Knowing he had to get back into action, he buried the pain coming from his face and moved first to run to where Damian's family was set up. It was a larger tent that was stretched between two of the trucks, just two walls and a roof made from the canvas covers.

As he neared, he heard two quick gunshots, causing him to sprint for the covering, his pistol raised as he moved through the opening. All he saw was the back of a man as he disappeared through the other side of the tent, until he scanned the floor. Alice and Damian's oldest boy, Jeremy, were lying in a pool of blood, close together. Grief, like so many times before, tried to claw it's way into his mind, forcing him to push it away and focus on the present. Zac charged through the flaps that served as the large tent's door, chasing whoever had run through.

Despite the chaos, he could see that it had been Damian, and that he was after someone else. Sprinting after them with gun in hand, he dodged past several people. There were a dozen fights going on around him, and members of both groups were hopelessly entangled as they ran to different destinations. What had been a clear cut battle had devolved into absolute anarchy, and Zac was running through it with reckless abandon, after his oldest friend.

Breaking from the crowd, he saw that Damian had caught the two he had been chasing, fighting them both simultaneously at a desperate pace. Sliding his pistol back into it's holster, he charged into the melee with a growl, smashing his fist into the larger of the two attackers. The look of shock on the man's face when he recovered gave him a strange satisfaction, and he recognized him. It was Lance.

His thoughts were interrupted by a blow from the side, catching him in the jaw and knocking him away. Looking back to deliver a counter attack, he could see that it was Ian, glaring down at him before being dragged back with his arms behind him, held by Damian. Rising up, Zac delivered two quick punches to the man's abdomen. He was yanked away from them and thrown to the ground, only to be kicked when he rolled to his stomach and tried to push himself up.

Dazed, and moving slowly, he braced himself for another hit that never came. Looking up, he saw that his friend had came to his rescue, slamming fist after fist into Lance's defense with yells that bordered on sounding animal-like. Bringing the large man to his knees, Damian took a hold of the dark hair, raising his hand to bring his fist savagely down into the face he was holding. Four hits in total, it left the man supported only by the hold of the other.

Taking the few steps to where the beaten man was kneeling, Zac looked up and caught sight of Ian, just outside of the treeline. His eyes met the slim man's gaze, mutual hatred flowing between them as he drew his pistol, placing the barrel to the head of the man's brother, who was now on his hands and knees, unable to stand after the assault Damian had dealt upon him. One pull of the trigger, all while maintaining eye contact, and the body slumped over.

Damian took a few deep, furious breaths before turning to run after the retreating man, and Zac was forced to grab him, and despite his protests, bring him to the ground. The strength behind the other man's attempts told him exactly who had pulled the trigger on his wife and child. _While he watched._ "Damian, no! We have to get the others out!" Pulling the much larger man up and back towards the camp, he felt the resistance to his actions give way as his words got through, repeating the same phrase under his own breath. "We have to get the others out."

* * *

Pulling into the parking lot of the gas station, the truck sputtered and the sound of it's engine died away as Zac pulled the keys from the ignition, leaning on the steering wheel, weary not from the physical injuries, but from the toll he knew he had to now face. Damian sat near the window opposite him, having been quiet since the quick retreat, and he was in no condition to talk to the man. Looking away from his friend's grieving, his eyes set upon the mirror that hung in the middle of the windshield. Behind them, the landscape was covered with a billowing smoke and a throbbing glare from behind the treeline. _The fire's spreading._

Opening the door, he stepped out into the busy lot, scanning the crowd. It didn't take a head count to see that they were missing more than a few of their people, and his quick count of the vehicles told him that six were not there. Closing the metal frame, he leaned against the truck that had barely been able to limp to their rendezvous point.

"Zac, you made it!" It was the voice of the mechanic, Luke, coming from behind him. The man ran up to him, moving around into his view. "Holy shit, man, your face." Looking up, he took a long look in the side mirror to confirm what he already knew. Dried blood covered the left half of his face, obscuring the gash that lay beneath it, cracked in places and smeared with dirt.

Turning back, he nodded, his voice low and coarse. "Luke, tell me we've got the losses counted."

The man looked over his face for a few more seconds before answering with a grim expression. "Around sixty either missing or dead. Good chuck of the camping gear went up in flames, too. Got most of our supplies out though. ..Jack and Naomi aren't here." Pushing himself off from the truck, he moved past the man.

_Sixty. _"Damian's boy, Dustin?"

"No sign of him."

"We have to keep moving. The fires are spreading, and we aren't sticking around for those bastards to find us again." _Jack. Naomi. Two more friends lost on my watch. Kayce grows up without an uncle now. Damian has lost his family. _Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he could feel the small argument between what he hoped and what he had to accept. _Are Dakota and Mason even still alive? They have to be. If I had stayed with Lexi, would she be here to tell me what to do now? _Things in his past he had no control over, and wouldn't necessarily change even if he could, but the thoughts were still there.

"..Zac?"

_Will Kayce blame me, as she should? _His voice raised as he rounded on the other man, what little remained of his temper flaring forth into his expression and his words. It was enough to make Luke back away. "You heard me, now spread the word. We're continuing on to New York."

* * *

July – 2024 – Merrill, Wisconsin

_Another city, another ghost town._ Merrill was nothing but dust and the occasional group of infected clustered within an abandoned building or shambling through an open field, quietly moaning and paying no mind to Zac as he moved. His footfalls were silent, falling back on the months spent stalking Elk through the forested mountains of Utah. Avoiding the main streets made the place feel like a bombed out suburbia, his solitude only amplifying the effect. Alone, as he usually was these days, left him to perform his daily duties without any thought outside the task at hand. Thinking brought memories, which he preferred to avoid at all turns.

The gas mask clipped to his belt was tightened to the point where he would have to adjust it to actually place it upon his head, a small sacrifice to keep it from making sound. Just to the side of it was a knife large enough to be effective if he had to kill something quietly, kept in a sheath of relatively good quality. The same holster he'd worn since Texas was still strapped across his chest, over an old concert tour shirt, the band name long since faded away.

Placing a hand on the ledge in front of him, he mantled over into what used to be a bathroom, all cracked porcelain and broken mirrors. The flash of a reflection caught his attention, leading him to look over the shard at himself. The image was not what he had expected. _I look..old._ His hair looked ragged, having been cut more with a knife in the last months than anything else. The scar of tight, puckered skin that cut a line down his face gave him a fierce, brutal visage. What shocked him most was his eyes, how the hazel had gone from the warm, full look in the photo tucked into his pocket, to this. Muddy brown mixed with a dull green, all settling into an iris that told mountains of the loss he had seen and experienced. It forced him to look away, and continue on through the house.

The other side of the building, where the wall had either rotted or been blasted away, allowed the sight of an old shopping mall. _Good a place as any to scout out._ The lack of Scavengers within the city told him that supplies might actually be a viable thing to be found, that something might not be looted. Scavengers. Damian's favorite way of describing the type of group they had come across in Colorado. It had become a word to hate within their group, synonymous to them as the worst mankind had to offer.

Sliding down from the raised foundation of the house onto what had been a backyard, he made his way down towards the mall. The entrance he found was not a door, but yet another hole, this one clearly caused by an explosion of some kind, with the remnants of that event still strewn inside the structure. Stepping in, he pulled a flashlight from it's place on his belt, clicking it on.

"Hmm." The soft noise coming from his throat was a thought made unintentionally real, expressing his surprise at the absence of any spores within the air. The infection, as he had learned, spread through the dark places of their world, lying in wait for anyone brave or stupid enough to chance the corners for what little remained.

He made his way through quickly, finding no sign of the supplies he had expected. Eventually passing into a central area of sorts, he saw a tree that had undoubtedly been planted to promote relaxation had grown unchecked out of it's contained square, the roots gripping the carved work with a strength only nature possessed. It was hard to tear away from the scene, the monument that stood for both the time human civilization had lost, and the raw hand it had been dealt in the last decade.

Stepping off of the raised platform, he made his way down the wing opposite the one he had entered. As soon as his foot reached the line of the first shops, he felt a rope close about his ankle. In the distance, metal scraped and there was a loud clash, and suddenly he was thrown to the ground. The blow to his head made what happened in between fuzzy, but he was up in the air, only a few feet from the ground.

Swinging back and forth while he dangled, his vision swam and distorted the area illuminated by the fallen flashlight. As the swaying slowed, the ringing in his ears faded away, allowing him to hear soft grunts and the loud footfalls of someone moving off ledges. Zac reached for his weapon and started scanning the area as quickly as he could, only to find that he had moved too slow, feeling the cold metal of a barrel at the back of his head.

"Don't even try it, buddy." The voice sounded ragged, and muffled as if covered by something, but it's pitch was distinctly female as the owner of it moved around to be in front of him. The light cast shadows upward over the stranger, and while it was easy to tell that it was a young girl, her face was covered with goggles and a half mask respirator, obscuring her features. "Give me the pistol."

Looking at the gun in the other's hand, Zac pulled his from the holster and offered it slowly. As soon as she had a hold of it, she slipped it into the pack hanging by her side and began patting him down, taking the knife from it's sheath and the extra magazines from his holster. "You don't have to do this." His words brought only a scoff from her as she back up, weapon still aimed at him.

"Like you wouldn't do the same shit to me, if not worse." She pulled something from her pack, tucking it into one of the straps on his shoulder. "Use that to cut yourself free." He looked at her with confusion as she backed away, drawing a mocking laugh from the girl.

Reaching up, he pulled the knife she had given him from it's place. It was small and barely sharp, an incredible downgrade from the one that had been taken from him, one that would take a long time to cut through the rope wrapped around his ankle. Looking back at the girl, he shook his head. "Look, I've got a group, a lot of-"

"Not interested." She had turned away now, running off toward the direction he had originally come from.

"Wait! ..God dammit." Zac wasted no time in struggling up to the point where he could saw at the bindings, moving as quickly as he could. It took a long time to make it through the strands, having to fall back down after a few minutes to regain his strength.

As he was recovering, the rope snapped, causing him to fall the few feet to the ground, rolling to avoid impaling himself on the knife. Exclaiming as he came up to his feet, he bounced a few times before shaking off the stinging sensation in his muscles. "Son of a bitch." Bending to scoop up the knife and his flashlight, he rolled the shoulder he landed on, running off after the girl. _Even if she's not interested in joining us, I'm getting my stuff back. _Coming back through the improvised door, he made a quick check for signs of her passing through. Near the hole, his own imprints interfered with finding anything substantial, but lighter, much smaller ones could be seen heading along the wall and further into the city.

Following her proved easier than he would have thought, her passage leaving enough of the environment disturbed to mark a clear path. For her size, and the gear she had been wearing, she was quick, and it was obvious that she knew where she was going. It became apparent that it was a path of least resistance, moving through empty buildings and away from ones that housed infected. There were even a few traps, like the one that had snared him, along the way, but these were easy to avoid when he knew what to look for. _Girl's talented, I'll give her that._

At one point, he was close enough he could hear the footsteps, then the grunts as she climbed up and over a wall, down the alleyway from him. With his back to the wall, he peeked around the corner, only catching a glimpse of a sneaker sliding over the top of the bricks. Moving down the corridor, he placed his hands on the top and pulled himself up, making his weight evenly distributed to keep the noise he caused to a minimum as he slid over. A hand on the edge of the wall kept him from a rough landing on the other side as he let himself down, emerging into another alley that was elevated from the last. On the right, a chain link fence that looked out over the nearby street, and there was a ladder that led to the roof to the left.

At the end of the alley was a door that he approached slowly, feeling as if he missed something. Turning the knob with the knife in hand, he opened it before stepping in through the smallest space he could afford, closing it quietly behind him. The room he had entered was large, littered with various items. A shelf against the wall was piled high with empty cans of food and equipment that was used cook it, with a mattress at the base, furnished only with a pillow and a blanket. Behind it, a rifle with a black stock was leaned into the corner, and from here Zac could see boxes of ammunition. There was an entrance to a staircase opposite where he had come in, identifiable only by a sign as the double doors were blocked by a bookshelf pushed against them. While it was a defensible and hidden location, he had her trapped so long as he remained in between her and the door.

The girl was crouching a few feet in front of him, her bag open as she pulled out her spoils, and he could see that her goggles were pushed up, and her respirator was down around her neck. Zac's steps were silent as he moved closer, eventually within enough range that he was able to reach out and grab her, wrapping a hand around her mouth and using the other to haul her up and away from the bag. The girl's first struggles were quick and desperate, eventually becoming more targeted toward his kidneys and groin, attempting to get loose.

Refusing to accidentally harm the girl, he used his larger frame to subdue her retaliation, speaking quickly and as evenly as he could. "Calm down! I'm not going to hurt you, but I'm also not letting you pull your weapon." Her thrashing ceased, and she groaned against his hand, nodding slowly. Releasing the girl, he used his free hand to pull the gun from her belt.

Her hair was a tan shade of brown, and underneath the black goggles that pushed back the strands were eyes of a strange hue. With light gray irises caught between suspicion and anger, the girl paced back and forth in front of him as he checked the cylinder of the pistol he had taken off her. He counted six rounds, pushing the cylinder back into place and looking over the entire weapon, admiring the overall stocky feel to the gun. "Mateba Auto-revolver. Not an easy thing to come by.." He looked up at her, posing an unasked question.

Her eyebrows furrowed into a glare as she answered. "It was my father's."

"I see, and where is he?" Her expression slipped, just enough to tell him what he needed to know. "And your mother..?" A shake of her head jostled the respirator around her neck. He reached up to run his free hand through his hair, sighing. "You're alone? Is there anyone else in this town?"

"A few of those men from the Quarantine Zone come through every couple of weeks. They like to try and hunt me down, though they give up after falling into a few traps like the one I got you with." Scuffing her shoe against the floor, she wrung her hands together before looking at him again. "So what happens now?" It wasn't fear that he saw in her, it was a resignation to her fate.

"Well, I'm not going to kill you." Her eyes widened as he spun the pistol in his hands around and offered it to her. "I just want my equipment back, and I'll be on my way. Of course, you're welcome to join me."

Taking the gun and tucking it into the back of her pants, the girl still kept a wary eye on him. "You said you had a group?" It was not the first time he had extended an offer for someone to join them, having come across several other survivors, but this was the first anyone had show actual interest in that offer.

"Around eighty people, yeah. We're just a few miles out from town." She seemed to consider it for a long moment, finally reaching down to gather up what she had taken from him, moving tentatively closer. Taking the gun and replacing it within his holster, along with the spare clips, he nodded his thanks to her. "How about the knife?"

Tapping her fingers along the hilt of the blade, she tilted her head. "If I go with you, can I keep it?"

Zac quirked an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips for the first time in what felt like years. "Y'know, good knives aren't exactly in abundance." The girl placed her hands on her hips as he took a moment to decide, shrugging. "Fine, you can keep the knife. Got a name, kid?"

"Morgan Toropov. And I'm not a kid." She turned her back on him, moving to gather up what supplies were actually left in her little sanctuary. It was obvious she had been running on fumes for a long time, judging by that little remained in the room. There were only a few rounds for both her pistol and her rifle, and what had looked like a lot of food stored up turned out to be only two untouched cans of beans.

"My name's Zachary, but people call me Zac. Pleased to meet you." Morgan walked towards him, her pack on one shoulder and the rifle on the other. "You sure you've got everything?"

"I don't have a lot." Readjusting the strap over her shoulder, she looked up at him. "Don't take this the wrong way, because you seem like a good guy.. But there's a reason I'm robbing the occasional unlucky person. I have to follow you, I don't have a choice."

Opening the door that led back into the alley, Zac leaned against the knob, looking back at the girl. "You always have a choice."

* * *

February – 2028 – Allegany State Park, New York

"Now what you want to do is cup your hand under the one holding the gun, like this." Imitating the action with his own hands, Kayce following his example and looking to him for approval. With a nod, he reached out and straightened her arms a bit, correcting her position as much he could. "Okay, see if you can hit more than one this time, alright?" He pointed towards the bottles they had set along a fence, just outside of the treeline.

Glancing at him, her small smile and nod was infectious enough that Zac had to grin back. "Okay, daddy." It was a chilly enough day, colder than they had become accustomed to, and the jacket his daughter was wearing was made for someone much bigger than she was. It was almost comical, seeing the small girl drenched in the dark coat, with her blonde hair gathered back into a loose ponytail as she took careful aim.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the movement of someone approaching. Turning to face the man, he saw it was Damian, returned from taking a group to the nearby town to look for supplies. Dirt and blood was streaked across much of the clothing. Taking a quick look at Kayce, who was still lining up her first shot, he moved out of her earshot. "How'd it go, was the town occupied?"

The first shot rang out as his friend opened his mouth, looking past Zac's shoulder at the girl, raising an eyebrow before his eyes snapped back to the man in front of him. "Yeah, a group of Scavengers. It was no problem." Another shot fired, and this time the sound of shattering glass accompanied it. "Zac, should she be doing this? She's nine, man."

"It's the world we live in." More shots were fired, and he wasn't able to keep up with how many hit. His justification was sound, as even if he could trust the people left in this country, the infected still needed to be put down wherever they were found. "Did you at least offer them a chance to surrender before you killed them?" He didn't try to mask the disappointment in his voice, as he knew the answer to his question before he even asked it.

The other man laughed, it was a hollow, humorless sound. "There was no point to, they fired first. And we didn't kill all of them." His friend turned away and began to walk off, shaking his head with a chuckle.

"We can't just.. Damian!" The man didn't look, he didn't stop, he just kept walking. Zac found it hard to disagree with him though, and even harder to blame him for becoming jaded. The loss of his family had unhinged the man, he had become increasingly violent towards the people they had come across, and was usually justified in his actions. He was the man Zac could count on when he needed something done with little to no moral dilemma.

A small hand tugged at his sleeve, bringing him out of his thoughts and turning him about. Kayce was looking up at him with wide eyes, that same bright blue color as her mother's. "Did you see that Daddy?" She had a huge grin across her face, pointing back towards the fence she had been shooting at. "I got them all!"

Chuckling softly, he ran a hand playfully through her hair. "Yeah, I saw it. Good job." It was a lie, and from the frown that developed on his daughter's face, she knew it. The girl gave him the pistol before turning around and walking away with slumped shoulders, looking dejected. Things like this happened often between them often, and every time they grew a bit more distant. He gave a sigh, replacing the weapon into his holster as he followed her. _Say you are sorry. _No words came, despite it being his own advice.

* * *

The camp was based against the treeline, made the same as they had grown accustomed too after all this time, with the tents in the middle of the circled vehicles. It was much smaller than the one they had set up in Colorado. As Zac and his daughter entered the camp, the nine year old ran off toward their jeep without saying a word or looking back for approval. He found he couldn't blame her. She had been exceptionally understanding of the situations around her, and had put up with his emotional distance for years now. He didn't want to tell her it was because she reminded him of the woman he once loved, the woman he tried to put out of his mind by keeping himself busy all day, every day. Kayce deserved more than that.

"Zac, we need to talk." Damian's voice came from behind him, and the heavy footsteps told him that his friend was running to catch up to his brisk pace. He continued walking, not really caring to deal with the man's problems right now, especially considering his early behavior. A hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back a step, spinning him around. "Dammit Zac, we've got a problem."

The pull generated an unreasonable amount of anger in him, smacking away the hand. He knew it was more to do with the rift growing between him and his daughter, but Damian's actions with the Scavengers had worn his patience thin as well. "Food is getting short, even with your raid on Salamanca. The vehicles are starting to break down, so we need parts for those, and several of the children are coming down with something that Lily thinks we'll need a constant supply of antibiotics for." He moved closer to the man, his voice low, but still distinctly angry. "So what, Damian? What could possibly be considered a problem now?"

Holding up his hands, Damian shook his head and backed up a few steps. "Look, there's a situation we felt you should be made aware of, just come on." The man took another step before turning and moving away, waving for Zac to follow him.

Giving a frustrated sigh, he did as his friend asked, following him through the camp. They passed by the people without much more than a sideways glance. He couldn't guess where he was being led, and was even more confused when they exited the camp, moving into the forest. The other man knew where they were going, picking a careful path through the trees until they reached a small hill. A break in the trees revealed three men, two of which were standing to the sides of the third, who was kneeling down and looking as if he had experienced better days.

It was Brandon, one the men who had joined his group back at the power plant in Utah, someone who had been with him since the beginning of this nightmare. He didn't say anything when he looked up, just twitched a bit when he noticed Zac. "What's going on, Damian?"

His friend gestured to the kneeling man. "He was bitten while we were fighting off the Scavengers in the city. We had to move fast through the buildings, and one of them was filled with Runners. He told us when after I reported to you, thought you would know what to do here." Shrugging, Damian folded his arms and looked to Zac.

The blood that could be seen flowing down Brandon's arm led to the bite on his forearm, and still the man said nothing, his eyes reflecting a silent resignation. Zac couldn't face it, turning around and taking a deep breath as he looked at his friend. _I would know what to do here? _His voice sounded again within his head, but this time was firmer and full of conviction. _I do know what to do. _

Pulling his pistol from the holster, he turned to face Brandon, all in one swift motion. They locked eyes, and Zac knew he should feel something in doing this. Some guilt, for killing someone he had known all the way from Provo, or anger at the world for forcing him to this. It felt like another task. Another car filter to be changed, another gun to be cleaned. _Just another infected to be put down._ Squeezing the trigger, the round painted the tree behind the man red as his body dropped to the ground.

Looking to the two standing near the corpse, both of whom had backed away and were looking warily at him, he lowered his gun. "Burn it. We don't want anyone happening upon spores, even out here." Turning, Zac could see the gleam in Damian's eyes, the approval of his actions. It was a cold, calculating move that would have sickened him even a few years ago.

As he began to make his way down the hill, he caught sight of movement. A flash of blonde hair disappeared behind some bushes, moving away from the men quickly. His friend had caught it too, judging by the groan that came from the man next to him. "This is our world now, she should see this." It wasn't cruelty or anger that motivated his words, but practicality. "She needs to know exactly what she will have to face when she is older."

* * *

April – 2028 – New York City, New York

There was no safety. No standing army to hold back the tides of Infected that would descend on them. Only an abandoned Quarantine Zone. Three, in fact, that had all fallen in the area around New York City. They had moved into the one that covered most of Manhattan, spending the last few months searching through the wreckage. Whatever had happened, it had ended violently for these people, as decomposed bodies and debris from buildings littered the streets.

"Hurry up, old man, I've got this." Morgan was in front of a hole in the ceiling, bent with her hands cupped in front of her. Running forward, Zac placed his foot into her hands and was boosted to the lip of the hole, pulling himself up with a groan.

Turning, he chuckled as he looked down on her expectant gaze, her gray eyes wide with the excitement of exploring this place, a hotel on the edge of the harbor. Leaning over with his hand extended, he waved for her to jump. "Come on." The young woman jumped, catching onto his grasp and allowing herself to be pulled up until she could bring herself over the edge.

Standing and stretching, Zac felt his age in his limbs as he moved toward the door. They had emerged into the bathroom, a rather fancy one at that. Stepping through the empty frame and into what had been a lavishly furnished room, he moved toward the shattered windows. The footsteps of the woman behind him echoed softly as her voice sounded out. "Whoa." It was as accurate a description as he could think of, as they looked out over the harbor. Across the water, rising up in glorious defiance of the destruction around it, was the Statue of Liberty. It was not without signs of aging, it's caretakers having died years ago, but it was still a sight to behold. "I've seen this on old postcards and in books..but I never thought I'd actually see it."

Zac nodded, leaning onto the railing that ran along the windows. "It is certainly something. Didn't think it'd still be standing."

The woman leaned against the rail as well, making a noise of agreement. Minutes passed with nothing but the wind making sound as they were glued to the scene in front of them, this monument to the country that had been. "Zac..we've been everywhere in these last four years, even up to Canada. I don't think the safe haven you were looking for exists."

It was a realization he had come to long ago, despite what he had told the people he watched over. The Quarantine Zones weren't going to last, FEDRA was not going to be able to stop the last cities from circling the drain. Safety was a thing of the past. "I know." His eyes searched every inch of the statue. From the shattered torch to the inscription still rampant across the book, it was beautiful. "Well, I did always want to see the country when I was younger."

Morgan shot him an incredulous look, letting out a breathy laugh to match it. "How's the tour so far?"

"Eh, it's been rocky." They shared a chuckle before Zac frowned. "We need a new destination. We can't keep traveling aimlessly.. people are already on edge."

"Where is even left for you guys?" Having only joined them in Wisconsin, the woman had only been on one leg of their long journey. The others that had started in Utah had seen a lot of death and even more than their share of the darkest corners of humanity. And yet, somehow, Morgan was always someone he could talk to, always seeming much older than she actually was. She was a strange combination of rebellious teenager and wise elder, a mindset he had guessed she developed from whatever had transpired with her parents.

"I don't know. I think Arizona is nice most the year." Smirking, he pushed himself off from the railing. "It's warm, at least."

His friend laughed, even that sounding surprisingly low and husky, as her voice usually did. But she then laid a hand on his shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts and causing him to look at her. "We could always make our own safe haven. Like what you had back in Provo, you told me that was secure?"

He moved away, pretending to scan the room instead of facing her. "I suppose we could, we only left because of how many people we had. I don't know, I think people only kept going because they truly believed someone would rescue them from this reality. That we would arrive here and instantly find a home behind high walls and soldiers." Folding his arms, he looked over the scars that now crisscrossed the skin. "I can't give them that."

"I wouldn't be so sure, you are pretty motivated when Kayce is involved. Do what you can to make a safe life for her, and you'll make one for the rest of us." Morgan was always so sure of him. It was the kind of faith that could make you believe in yourself on the best days. Today was not one of those days, and his confidence received no boost.

Zac sighed, shrugging his shoulders as he often found himself doing. "Damian thinks our best bet would be finding a way to get to Europe, that they might be on better footing with this thing."

"I know he's your oldest friend and all, so no offense, but fuck what Damian thinks. The group follows you, and even if we could get to Europe, we'd be banking it all on the off chance they did better than we did." Her words stung the truth more than he wanted to admit, but he agreed.

"Arizona it is then. We'll make our way down the seaboard, then head West." He turned to find her watching him, appraising him. The woman had become a sister in the last few years, someone to count on whether he needed a moral dilemma worked through or a bullet between a man's eyes at an insane range. The most important thing she had been so far, was a role model for Kayce.

Aside from the rampant cursing and affinity for weapons, she was the adult he only hoped his daughter could become. Capable and intelligent, diplomatic when the situation called for it. Not just a survivor, as the woman found a way to enjoy her life, despite it's hardships. It was remarkable, and the best thing he could wish for his daughter. "And if we find the same thing there?"

Zac moved toward the door they had entered from, looking down the hole for a long moment. "Then we build our own damn safe zone."

* * *

June – 2032 – New Orleans, Louisiana

Rain was falling lightly onto the old rooftops of Bourbon Street as Zac looked out over a railing to the crowded road below. The vehicles they still had left were parked along the road, with a humvee turned at the end of the street to create a blockade. People were running supplies from the trucks into the various buildings that had already been cleared out, and the mood actually seemed upbeat for the first time in a long time.

There was laughter from the street below, and smiles could be seen on several faces as he moved along the banister. "Luke!" The man looked up from the engine he was working on, raising an eyebrow. "If you can't get it fixed, start cannibalizing parts. The other trucks need repairs and we can't waste the effort." Acknowledging him with a nod, Luke pushed the hood back up.

He continued on down the ledge, mentally checking off the tasks each person was completing. They had a system when they found a place to set up, drilled into them over the years, and the people below moved like a trained military squad. A large shadow stepped out in front of him, blocking his path and drawing his eyes up from the activity below him. "Damian. Find anything interesting on your scout?"

His friend gave a shake of his head as he moved to lean on the railing. "From what I can tell, there's nothing out here. Empty Quarantine Zone, no infected, no Scavengers. Plenty of supplies from what I saw, and this." He tossed something at Zac, which forced him to raise a hand and catch it. Looking down, he saw it was a can of creamed corn, identifiable only by a simple white label.

"It looks..new. You said the Zone was empty?"

"Gates open, no bodies. It looked as if it had been evacuated." His friend's voice was quiet, his words to the point. This was how Damian was on a good day, when the memories of a decade ago were far away. Zac was torn from his thoughts by a few others joining them, each starting to ask a question before they all grew silent, looking at each other and then him.

Before he could respond, someone tugged at his elbow. "Zac?" It was Kayce, her expression neutral as bright blue eyes searched his face. In the last couple years, they had become distant, to the point where she only referred to him by first name. His duties to the group regularly came into conflict with their relationship, straining it as he had less time to spend with her.

"Not now, Kayce. I'm busy." He heard the expected huff as he turned to deal with the other problems, closing his eyes for a long moment. Zac focused on the first woman in front of him. "Okay, what do you need?"

* * *

Settling down onto the worn bed in his room, Zac ran a hand through his hair with a weary sigh. The day had gone by slowly, and despite the historic town he had always wished to visit, he was finding the energy to be excited hard to come by. Exhaustion was a current thing for him these days. He was nearing his forties, the constant physical toll on his body pushed away step by step. The scars, both seen and unseen, were catching up to him. Some days he even swore his face burned from the old wound.

They had settled into the apartments above the various shops below, ranging from old fortune teller houses to the bars. This city was surprisingly untouched by the ravages they had seen in others, with little to no damage apparent from riots or bombings, only time's passage showed here. To the people of his group, and to him, it looked almost new. Beds were in abundance, real beds with mattresses that still had springs, a commodity in the world they now lived in.

Zac stretched back to lay across the covers, having been given his own room, he closed his eyes. Flexing his muscles for a moment, he relaxed back, letting out another quiet sigh. Time passed quickly as he drifted between the states of conscious or his mind beginning to wander off into a light rest. He didn't know how long passed before he felt a hand across his knee. Lazily opening one hazel eye to look down, he saw his daughter, a small smile across her lips.

"Hey, daddy." _'Daddy'? What's she looking for? _Kayce was dressed in ragged jeans and a torn pink top, a holster holding the pistol he had given her strapped to a thigh. She was covered in dirt, with it smeared across her face, clashing magnificently with her bright eyes. "I've got something to tell you." He tried to blink the sleep from his vision, focusing on her more as he moved into a sitting position. The groan that came was involuntary, his joints popping.

"What is it, baby?" Once up, she backed a full step away, shaking her head enough to dislodge a few strands of her loose ponytail. The reaction, a knee-jerk on her part, brought him into focus much faster than his efforts. "Kayce, what is-" His eyes settled on the bare arm, pale skin covered in filth from wherever she had been, but there were streaks through the dirt. It was blood, from under her sleeve.

Having seen him notice it, the girl pulled the sleeve back to her shoulder, revealing the source of the streaks. It was a more familiar sight than he had ever wanted, now marring the skin of his daughter. _A bite. _She shrugged her shoulders before dropping the fabric, as if it was of no impact. "Decided to go exploring. I..uh, I fell into the basement of a house. There was a.." Kayce laughed nervously, looking away from his disbelieving gaze. "You'd be proud of me, it was a Stalker, got him right in the head. But..he got me."

There was nothing to compare the crushing sensation he felt in his chest, even when Lexi had died back in Utah, so many years ago. No terror or pain this time, just the pressure of failure, the last crack in his own private purpose for surviving. Even with the sixty or so people that now surrounded them in the other buildings, she was everything he fought for in this world. Zac couldn't even find the strength to form the words he truly wanted.

"I came back.. because I wanted to say goodbye. I'm going into the city and..well, I'm not going to let myself turn." It was a decision that he had seen grown men and woman fail to make time and time again. A decision he would never wish on someone he hated, let alone his daughter. And yet, she made it with a carefree flamboyance, showing remarkable will in the face of her fate. "Goodbye, daddy." Taking one slow step back after another, the girl disappeared from the room, and her running footsteps echoed through the street.

* * *

He had wasted enough time sitting on the bed, shocked by the revelation and the quick departure of his daughter, endlessly struggling with himself about which course of action to take. Zac reached for the pistol, pulling the slide and letting it slam forward before he ran out of his room. Passing the curious looks from his people, he nearly jumped the whole flight of stairs, landing with a thud loud enough to echo down the street. Out of the camp in under a minute, he made a time consuming loop around to find which direction Kayce had ran off in, still unsure what his plan was.

Grief clouded every thought, shrouded every movement like a wet blanket. Part of him understood how insane him chasing after her was, but he couldn't resign himself to that fate, he fought against it with his whole being. Picking up her trail was easy enough, as Damian had taken the main road they had come in on to leave the camp, her's was the only disturbing of the unusual order that gripped these streets.

It was eery to see the cars still parked along the roads, not jamming the passage of other vehicles. Windows were usually still whole, doors were closed, the roads weren't littered with garbage. It was like an exhibit at a museum, a scene of what twenty years of disuse would do. The only sign the outbreak had ever hit here was the evacuation notices on street corners. Fortunately for Zac, this gave him the ability to track his daughter through the city.

She was moving quickly, sacrificing any chance at stealth in her attempt to get as far away from the camp as possible. The easiest signs of her passing were the opened doors, as some houses she needed to move through in order to get around to wherever her destination was. He soon realized it wasn't a random path, and that she was actually trying to get somewhere.

Several hours into his pursuit, he came across a house near the outskirts. The ground near the cellar door had opened into a hole, resulting in a ten foot drop to the floor inside. Placing a hand on the edge of the break, he dropped down in, raising his flashlight to scan the area. There was shattered glass and broken shelves all over the small room, and blood. It covered one of the walls in a cone shape, leading his flashlight's beam downward to a body. _A stalker. _Just as Kayce had said, a single shot to the head had killed it, spattering it's brain matter over the wall.

Despite the grisly scene, and what he knew it had led to, he did feel a bit proud. Turning to climb back up the cellar stairs and push out into the night sky again, he looked to the ground. Light footprints, consistent with the size of his daughter's shoes, continued on in the path they had been following since she left camp.

* * *

_What are you doing, Zac? _He knew exactly what he was doing, but still the need to question came up as the hours passed. Dawn came and went as he followed the trail through the city, gaining ground on Kayce as the day slowly began. It was hard not to stop, to give up, to fall prey to rational thoughts that bubbled up. _Two days. Damian said it takes two days to turn, max. _The military pamphlet his friend had on him when they met up outside Salt Lake was the only source of information they had on the infected.

Recently infected turned into Runners within two days, Stalkers not long after, and Clickers after years of infection. The fungus grew out through the host's eyes, slowing consuming the vision and eventually the body. _That can't happen to her. _By his reckoning, Kayce had been bitten a few hours before she returned to camp, only his own time in getting there to compare it to. _I don't have long._

At times, he sprinted through the city, almost losing the trail because of his speed. He had reached the outskirts of the city when he figured out where she was heading, a house up on the hill, visible from the roads they had taken coming into this place. It was probably what she had been heading to in the first place, when she had been bitten.

Opening the front door as quietly as he could manage, Zac took a long moment before stepping inside. Though the paint was cracked and peeling, and the house in general was showing its wear, it was as orderly as the city. This place, or rather the people who had lived in it, had not been running out the door. He pushed his questions of what had happened here to the back of his mind, searching room by room.

At the same time, he was hoping and dreading finding her. The ground floor was empty, just increasing the pounding of his heart as he moved towards the stairs, anticipation building. _She has to be in here. _Pushing open the door to a room on the upper level, he stopped just short of entering.

Kayce turned to face him, jumping up from the bed she was sitting on. The dirt on her cheeks had become streaked with tears, her eyes red and puffy. Sniffing and backing away, she shook her head. "No. No, you aren't supposed to be here."

"Kayce." He moved forward, pulling her in close and hugging her, despite her protests. When he pulled back, he kept both hands on her shoulders, almost afraid to let her go. "I just..needed to say I was sorry." Zac felt tears starting to reach his eyes. _Jesus, how long has it been since I've actually cried? _"I'm sorry I've been distant, and that I haven't been the father you deserve.."

"Daddy, you need to.."

"No, I need to say this. That I am sorry." He let her go, finally backing away from his daughter. "You shouldn't have had to grow up in a world as fucked up as this one. Your mother and I wanted better for you, and I..I lost sight of that." He slid down onto the edge of the bed, his shoulders sagging as he finally let his failure come to light, both to his daughter and to himself.

Kayce sat next to him, quiet for a time as she watched him. There was a piece of cloth showing from under her sleeve, and the blood he had seen earlier was cleaned away. He almost wanted to laugh at the sight of her efforts, of the training he had given her to survive in this world. "I know why you've been distant..I remind you of mom, don't I?" The girl's voice startled him, causing him to look over, only nodding. "Take care of the group, okay?"

_It's not worth it, if I don't have you. _After a long while of them being quiet, she bumped against him, having fallen asleep. After nearly a full day of chasing her through the city, he couldn't blame her. Against Zac's better judgment, his eyes closed, and he succumbed to the exhaustion.

Waking the next day was a strange thing. First he became aware of the ceiling of the room he had fallen asleep in, the way the light cast shadows across the surface. Then came the memories of yesterday, of what had happened, the revelation of his daughter being bitten, and the fact he had chased her. _And then we fell asleep._

Jolting up to a sitting position, he spotted her instantly. Kayce was standing in front of the window, her gun in hand, flexing the grip on it over and over before looking back at him. "I should have turned by now, right?" He just stared, confusion just setting in layer after layer. "So, what? Am I immune?"

"I.. don't know." Pushing himself up from the soft mattress, he popped a few joints as he moved. "But it seems so. I'm grateful, though."

"We should..get back to camp." She pushed the gun back into her holster, sighing and rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah." It was strange, seeing her react to what he had said last night. He had meant the words to be something to end on a good note. He couldn't help but think they had only made things worse. "We'll keep this between ourselves, alright? Even Damian..I just don't know how the others will respond." She nodded, understanding his words exactly. _I'm..glad you're alright. Say it, Zac. _But he couldn't form the words, only leading the way out the door. _  
_

* * *

August – 2034 – Salt Lake City, Utah

"There it is, Saint Mary's." The woman ahead of him looked back, grinning. Her uniform, an off-yellow color, and the vest that covered her chest, identified her as a Firefly. In Arizona, they had come across yet another Quarantine Zone, the original occupants long gone. This one had met a bloody end, the resistance against FEDRA reaching a point where riots tore it to the ground. The Fireflies, years later, had settled in, making it a base of operations for the area.

Zac's group had seen it as safe haven, but the resistance group there had been moving out. A message from their leader, something that Madison, the woman now guiding him, had only shared with him. Their last real research into a cure had been moved to Utah. It was at that point he chose to share his daughter's rather unique condition with the woman, and she had insisted to take them along. The chance at a cure, and his own people's desire to find somewhere safe, had led him to agree.

He had still kept Kayce's immunity from everyone except Madison, and she had in turn kept that secret. Now, they had finally arrived at their destination, the Firefly's own Quarantine Zone. Salt Lake City had changed since he had last seen it. Everything was falling apart, more so than it had been. The Trax system was a pile of rubble, the block with several clubs, where he had seen a few concerts years ago, had collapsed from damage and time. It was a different city, two decades removed from the one he remembered.

The hospital the woman had said was their base was just up the street, and as they neared he could tell that the Fireflies were getting nervous. Gripping their weapons tightly, he saw some of his people do the same. Morgan and Damian had their sidearms out, and Kayce was staying uncharacteristically close to him.

After a minute more of walking, Madison turned and moved closer to Zac, keeping her voice low. She was shorter than he was, darker skinned as well, looking to be from a country south of the States. In her mid-twenties, the woman managed to look youthful yet capable, her black hair done up in a ponytail. "There should be guards posted. Somethings wrong."

Looking past her at the building ahead, he nodded. "I'll go with your group into it, my people will stay here." Signaling the man off to his side to come with him, he looked to Damian. "Keep them here, make sure no one wanders off."

Taking the rifle from his shoulder, he pulled the bolt back, checking the chamber before pushing it back into place as they advanced on the hospital doors. He and Madison were in the middle of the group as they entered the structure, flanked on all sides by Fireflies as they passed through the empty lobby. There was a stillness to the place that unsettled him, and he could feel it in the people around him as well.

He leaned towards the woman walking next to him, raising an eyebrow. "There supposed to be guards here, too?"

She looked over, nodding before sighing. "Alright, lets check the garage. If they moved to another location, there'll be signs of it." The woman waved most of her group to continue towards the stairs, to cover the upper level. She and Zac, accompanied by three or four of the Fireflies, made their way down on the stairs towards the lowest level.

Their footsteps echoed through the wide space as they moved down two levels, eventually emerging into what looked like the underground parking area. There were several vehicles, almost a dozen or so, ranging from pickup trucks to luxury cars. A smell hung over the area, the stench of decay, and finding it's source was not difficult. A woman's body was laying in a dark patch on the floor, a blood pool that had dried a while ago.

Bringing a hand to his nose, he looked over at Madison as the woman rushed over to the body. "No, no, no!" The Firefly turned the body over, backing away immediately after, her expression horrified.

Zac let her move past him, looking down on the corpse. The dead woman hadn't been infected, at least from what he could tell. Shot in the stomach and the head, it was clear her death had been slow. _That's something, I guess. _"Friend of yours?"

"Marlene. She's..she was our leader." Recovering from the shock of discovering the body, she looked at him. "It probably means everyone else is dead, too. I don't think I've ever seen a situation where she couldn't get out."

_Goddammit. _Closing his eyes and letting out a slow breath, he nodded before turning around and heading towards the stairs. "Then I'm getting my people, and getting out of here."

"What?" She followed him, her voice growing angry in an instant. "You can't just leave!"

His own anger flared up as she spoke to him, and he turned around to look back down on her, raising his voice. "I have dragged them through enough false hope! I will not have them stay here, where it clearly isn't safe. If the military did this, they'll be back. We're moving on."

"What about your daughter? What about the cure?"

Nearly at the end of his rope, Zac laughed, through his arms up in a shrug. "What about the cure? I came with you to make sure my daughter would have a safe place to live!" The woman opened her mouth again, and that's when he stepped in close, meeting her gaze with a glare. "I don't give a damn about your cure, or your fight. I only care about getting my people out of here before whoever did this.." Pointing at the body, it drew the other's gaze away from him for a moment. "Comes back."

Madison backed away from him, with the other Fireflies gripping their weapons nervously and looking over. He took a deep breath to get himself back under control before speaking again. "I'm sorry about your people, but I am leaving. I hope some of them upstairs survived, I truly do." With that, he turned to leave again, jogging up the steps nearly two at a time.

* * *

October – 2034 – Jackson, Wyoming

Zac leaned forward in the chair slowly, bringing both his feet down on the ground for the first time in several hours. Joel and Tommy sat opposite him, the younger of the brothers running a hand over his face while he thought over what he had just been told. Joel's face was more enigmatic, looking out a nearby window.

He hadn't told them everything. Far from it, in fact. Only what they had needed to know, the things about where he had started, and where Kayce had been bitten, and the Fireflies being massacred. Some things he wouldn't admit, even to friends such as these. He had made a lot of choices in the years since the outbreak, and most of them he couldn't face even at the best of times.

_They know enough to understand what it took to get here, and why we have to stay. _Tommy finally sighed, leaning forward in his chair. "So there are more Fireflies out there?" Zac narrowed his eyes, nodding in response. _That's what he took away from all that? _

"Why is that important?" His question drew older brother's gaze, causing him to furrow his brow even more in confusion. "What is it?"

The two brothers shared a long look, before Joel scoffed. "Looks like we got a story or two to tell you."


End file.
